BARDSTOWN, KY — A 79-year-old Coxs Creek man died and his passenger was critically injured after a two-vehicle crash Friday on Shepherdsville Road in Nelson County, Kentucky State Police said. Troopers responded to the wreck near the 3945 block of KY 245 in Bardstown and later identified the driver of one SUV as 51-year-old Teudis Hernandez of Louisville. Police said his vehicle crossed into the northbound lanes and struck an oncoming car head-on.
The Nelson County Coroner’s Office pronounced the driver of the other car, Edward Hovan, dead at the scene. His passenger, 71-year-old Christine Hovan, was taken to the University of Louisville Hospital with severe injuries. State police said the crash remains under investigation.
How the Crash Unfolded
According to the Kentucky State Police release, Hernandez was traveling southbound on KY 245 when his SUV entered the northbound side of the roadway. The collision happened in the Bardstown area, where Shepherdsville Road is also known as Highway 245. The impact was described as head-on, indicating the vehicles collided front to front after one crossed the center of the road.
The crash location placed investigators near a busy stretch of roadway used by local traffic in and out of Bardstown. Police did not say what caused Hernandez’s vehicle to cross lanes, and no additional details were released about road conditions or weather at the time. The investigation is still active.
Victims and Injuries Reported
Edward Hovan, of Coxs Creek, was the driver killed in the wreck. The coroner said he died at the scene before he could be taken for treatment. His passenger, Christine Hovan, also of Coxs Creek, was seriously hurt and remains in critical condition at the University of Louisville Hospital, according to police.
The crash involved a pair of vehicles and left first responders handling both a fatality and a severe injury at the same scene. No other injured people were mentioned in the Kentucky State Police account. Officials have not released further information about the condition of Christine Hovan beyond the hospital listing.
Charges Filed After Investigation
After investigating the collision, state police arrested Hernandez and charged him with murder, first-degree assault, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or substances for a first offense, operating on a suspended or revoked license, and failure to produce an insurance card. Those charges were announced after the initial crash response and followed the police investigation into how the wreck occurred.
KSP did not say when Hernandez was taken into custody or provide additional details about the evidence supporting the charges. The case remains under investigation, and the report released by police focused on the crash sequence, the injuries, and the charges that followed.
Traffic Was Kept Moving
Before the state police update, Bardstown police said they were working a fatal collision with multiple injuries on Highway 245 near Handy Food Mart. Officers warned that only one lane would be open at the scene and asked drivers to use caution and plan for delays in the area. That advisory came as emergency crews responded to the crash and investigated the scene.
The roadway note underscores how the wreck affected travel on a main route through the Bardstown area. Police did not immediately say how long lane restrictions remained in place. As of the latest update, the broader case continued to move through the investigative process.
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