LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — A pregnant woman in labor  who was en route to the hospital was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center following a two-car crash Thursday morning that left a Manchester man dead at the scene.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Ky. 229 and Ky. 1189, four miles south of London around 10:50 a.m.

A blue Chevrolet Cavalier  driven by 47-year-old Ed Napier of Manchester pulled out from the westbound lane of Ky. 1189 and directly into the path of a 1993 Buick, headed northbound.

According to information from witnesses at the scene, the Buick was northbound headed toward London with an unidentified pregnant woman who had begun labor and was en route to the hospital.

The impact of the two cars crashing sent both off the westbound side of the roadway. Napier’s Cavalier went through a field and stopped several hundred yards from the collision site. Napier was pronounced dead at the scene, suffering fatal injuries in the crash. He was the sole passenger in that vehicle.

The Buick, which was transporting six passengers, careened off the roadway near a utility pole approximately 100 yards from the point of impact. The driver of the Buick, 40-year-old Veda Wright of Lily, was airlifted from the scene to the U.K. Medical Center for severe injuries from the crash. As of Thursday, Wright was in stable condition.

As emergency workers rushed in, another ambulance and two more helicopters were called to the scene to transport the patients for medical treatment.

Two passengers in the Buick were flown out to the Lexington hospital; three others were taken to Saint Joseph London for treatment.

Laurel County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Eddy Sizemore is leading the ongoing investigation into the collision. Assisting at the scene were: Detective Richard Dalrymple, accident reconstructionalist; Deputy James Sizemore; Constable Tim May; London Police Sgt. Chris Edwards; KSP Trooper Don Trosper; members of Ambulance Inc. of Laurel County; London-Laurel County Rescue Squad; Laurel County Coroner’s Office; Campground Volunteer Fire Department; and helicopters from PHI, Air Evac and Air Methods.

No information on the names and conditions of the other persons involved in the accident were available.



njohnson@sentinel-echo.com