LESLIE COUNTY, KY — Kentucky State Police are investigating two fatal crashes that happened hours apart Saturday on Hal Rogers Parkway in Leslie County. The first crash occurred around 2:54 p.m. near the 37-mile marker when a trooper came upon a two-vehicle collision during patrol. Investigators said a red Nissan Juke crossed the center line and hit a Ford Expedition head-on. The driver of the Nissan, 17-year-old Taegan Mosley of Hyden, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials said the crash also left two people in the Expedition hospitalized, and a passenger later died from injuries sustained in the wreck. The road remained closed while crews worked the scene, setting the stage for a second deadly collision in the same area later in the day.
First Crash Details
State police said the Nissan was traveling westbound when it crossed into oncoming traffic. The impact happened near mile marker 37, about a mile from the Clay County line. Emergency crews transported the driver of the Ford Expedition and a juvenile passenger to the University of Kentucky Medical Center for treatment.
A passenger in the Expedition, 64-year-old Penny Ison of Cornettsville, was taken by ambulance to Mary Breckinridge Hospital. Police later said she died from her injuries. The Leslie County Coroner’s Office pronounced Mosley dead at the scene after the initial collision. Investigators are continuing to piece together how the vehicle crossed the center line.
Second Crash At Scene
While responders were still working the first wreck and the roadway was closed, a second crash happened in the same area around 7:43 p.m. Police said a gray Chevrolet Traverse driven by 42-year-old Tracie Whittymore of London went through the road closure and struck the rear of a parked commercial motor vehicle. Whittymore was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kentucky State Police said the second collision happened in the closed work zone where crews were still managing the original incident. Authorities have not said whether any other injuries were reported in that crash. The fact that both wrecks occurred on the same stretch of highway made for a long and difficult response for investigators and roadside crews.
Investigation Underway
Detective Scott Caudill is leading the crash reconstruction investigation for both scenes. State police said toxicology testing is pending in each case. They also said no autopsies will be conducted. As of Saturday night, officers were still documenting the scene and reviewing the circumstances surrounding both deadly collisions.
The earlier version of the incident was first reported as a single fatal crash on the parkway, but police later confirmed the second wreck and the additional deaths. The investigation remains open as troopers work to determine exactly what led to each collision. Officials have not released any further findings.
Roadway Safety Concerns
The two crashes unfolded within hours of each other on a busy corridor in southeastern Kentucky, and both involved vehicles traveling through or near the same closed section of highway. The first crash caused a full response from troopers, medics and the coroner, while the second happened before the scene had been cleared. That sequence added urgency to an already serious investigation.
For drivers in the region, the case is a reminder of how quickly conditions can change after a crash closes a roadway. State police have not announced any long-term traffic changes, but the investigation into both fatalities is still active. Further updates are expected as reconstruction work and toxicology results are completed.
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