Wednesday morning at approximately 12:45, two Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers were parked at the entrance of the I-75 southbound on-ramp at Exit 76 in Berea, with their emergency equipment activated.
According to police, the officers were assisting in a roadway closure on I-75 due to work zone construction in Rockcastle County, when they observed a motor home approach their location on Hwy 21, and intentionally run through barriers and construction barrels before entering I-75.
Authorities attempted to stop the motor home, but the driver, 67 year-old John McCoy, of Chesapeake Ohio, refused to stop. He continued traveling south, at which time all construction workers present in the work zone were immediately notified to evacuate the roadway, police said.
Officers conducted a rolling roadblock to bring the motor home to a stop, when McCoy intentionally struck a police cruiser and continued traveling south toward the Hwy 1505 overpass, which was blocked by heavy construction equipment. As McCoy continued driving, he struck two sky lifts head-on, with the motor home immediately becoming engulfed in flames, authorities said.
Police tried to remove McCoy from the vehicle and extinguish the blaze, but were quickly overpowered by the heat and flames, and were unsuccessful in saving the driver.
McCoy was pronounced dead at the scene by the Rockcastle County Coroner’s Office. An autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday.
No officers or construction workers were injured in the incident.
(Photo courtesy of WKYT.com)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-60000
