I-71 South reopened after deadly accident that injured KSP trooper

(Source: WAVE 3 News)
(Source: WAVE 3 News)
Published: Apr. 25, 2018 at 2:06 PM EDT|Updated: Apr. 25, 2018 at 6:45 PM EDT
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Trooper Michael “Mickey” Gonterman (Source: Kentucky State Police)
Trooper Michael “Mickey” Gonterman (Source: Kentucky State Police)

CAMPBELLSBURG, KY (WAVE) - One person died and a Kentucky State Police trooper is listed in critical condition following a crash on Interstate 71.

A trooper assigned to the Kentucky State Police Campbellsburg post was sent on a report of dogs in the roadway on I-71 South at the 30 mile marker near Sulpher, around 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. When Trooper Mickey Gonterman arrived, he and the person who called, John Crawford, 56, of Campbellsburg, KY, began walking along the right-hand shoulder of a bridge.

According to KSP, a passenger vehicle moved to the left lane and rapidly decelerated. A semi and a box truck traveling in the left lane moved to the right lane to avoid the passenger vehicle. The semi hit the rear of the box truck, causing the truck to jackknife across both lanes of traffic and overturn on the bridge.

Gonterman and Crawford were hit by the trailer of the box truck, which pinned Crawford and caused Gonterman to fall approximately 30 feet from the bridge.

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Crawford was pronounced dead at the scene. Gonterman was airlifted to University of Louisville Hospital. Trooper Steven Dykes, public affairs officer for KSP Campbellsburg, said Gonterman underwent surgery and his condition was stable. The driver of the box truck was taken to Baptist Health Hospital in LaGrange with non-life threatening injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

All southbound lanes of Interstate 71 were reopened to traffic just after 5 p.m.

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