A Grayson County man was seriously injured in a horrific crash between a semi-truck and snowplow.
The Grayson County Sheriff’s Office, Caneyville and Leitchfield Fire Departments, EMS, and Kentucky State Police responded to the wreck Wednesday morning at approximately 10:05 near the 98-miler marker of the eastbound Western Kentucky Parkway.
According to first responders, a westbound ILoca Services Inc. (based in Aurora, Illinois) semi-truck crossed the median and struck an eastbound snowplow/salt spreader head-on in an incredibly high-impact crash.
The wreck resulted in the semi’s engine block being ejected from the truck and landing in the middle of the roadway (see photo below).
The snowplow operator, 23-year-old Taylor Pharis, of Clarkson, was working for a Kentucky Transportation Cabinet subcontractor clearing the parkway of snow and ice. He was extricated from the mangled, unrecognizable snowplow by Leitchfield firefighters.
Pharis, who had no time to react to the semi-truck, suffered severe injuries and substantial blood loss and was airlifted from the parkway to University of Louisville Hospital. According to an update by his wife on social media, it appears Pharis will miraculously survive the crash.
The male semi driver was transported to Owensboro Health Twin Lakes Medical Center. Additionally, also according to multiple first responders, the semi was observed driving by witnesses at a high rate of speed prior to the wreck.
The eastbound parkway was shut down for nearly eight hours as Kentucky State Police reconstructed the crash (traffic was rerouted at the Caneyville exit).
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and two Grayson County Detention Center deputies, Billy Swift and Daniel Brooks, provided traffic control as troopers conducted the reconstruction.
K105 is working to gather additional information on the crash and will offer updates as they become available.
(Editor’s Note: In the original story, the male semi driver was listed as not having his CDL, according to first responders, but K105 has confirmed with law enforcement that the semi driver was properly licensed.)
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
