Kentucky State Police troopers have been kept busy over the past few days investigating vehicle crashes, including ones in Barren and Clinton counties that resulted in multiple fatalities.

On Friday, just after 12:30 p.m., troopers from the Bowling Green Post responded to a two-vehicle collision in Barren County, at the intersection of KY-90 (Happy Valley Road) and Harry King Road.

Their preliminary investigation indicates that Robert E. Purcell, 74, of Louisville, was driving a 2023 Chevrolet commercial vehicle west on KY-90, when, for unknown reasons, his vehicle crossed the center line and into the path of oncoming traffic.

His vehicle struck a 2016 Chevrolet pickup head-on, driven by Matthew Webb, 48, of Bonnieville.  Purcell and Webb were pronounced dead at the scene by the Barren County Coroner’s Office.  A passenger in Webb’s vehicle, Matthew E. Shrock, 37, of Munfordville,  was first transported to T.J. Sampson Hospital in Glasgow, and then to Tri-Star Skyline Medical Center in Nashville, where he later died.   

Another multi-vehicle crash happened around 4:45 Saturday evening on U.S. 127 in Clinton County.

State Police at the Columbia Post say Jonathan Farmer, 32, of Eubank, was traveling north in a 2001 Nissan Frontier when he attempted to pass a slower-moving vehicle.  According to investigators, Farmer tried to avoid a collision with the vehicle he was passing and lost control, striking a 2019 Chevrolet Trax traveling south on U.S. 127 operated by Deborah Scott, 72, of New Castle, Indiana.  She tried to avoid crashing into Farmer’s vehicle, but was unable to do so and struck the passenger side.

A passenger in Farmer’s vehicle, 31-year-old Jacob Dick of Science Hill, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Clinton County Coroner. Farmer was transported to the Clinton County Hospital where he later died.  Scott was taken to UK hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Around 6:30 Saturday evening, the KSP Harlan Post received a call from Knox County Dispatch, requesting assistance with a vehicle collision involving a pedestrian on KY-3439 in the Barbourville community.

Their initial findings were that a 2010 Dodge Ram, operated by Phillip Cox, was traveling north on KY-3439 when he ran into a pedestrian, Brandon Warren, 24, who was walking north in the road.  Warren was taken to the Barbourville ARH hospital for his injuries but was pronounced dead around an hour later.