FRANKFORT, KY — Kentucky State Police say a 40-year-old Ohio man has been arrested in connection with a Bracken County collision that killed two local residents. The crash happened Saturday on the AA Highway, also known as Kentucky Highway 9, and investigators later identified the victims as Tyler Smith and Emily Smith, both of Bracken County. Police say the driver of a westbound Ford SUV tried to pass another vehicle in a double yellow line area before striking a Kia head-on. The case has now led to charges of reckless homicide and wanton endangerment.
How the crash unfolded
According to KSP, the Ford SUV was a 2004 model and the Kia was a 2024 vehicle. Troopers said the Ford hit the Kia head-on near Dutch Ridge Road after the passing maneuver in a no-passing zone. Tyler Smith, who was driving the Kia, and Emily Smith, who was a passenger, were pronounced dead at the scene by the Bracken County Coroner’s Office. The driver of the Ford was taken to the UK Medical Center for treatment following the collision.
Charges filed this week
On Wednesday, KSP said it obtained an arrest warrant for Brandon Barrett of Hamersville, Ohio. He is accused of two counts of reckless homicide, both class D felonies, and one count of first-degree wanton endangerment. Barrett was later arrested by the UK Police Department and booked into the Fayette County Detention Center. Police set his bond at $2 million. The charges stem from the deadly collision and the allegations surrounding how the crash occurred.
Response from authorities
KSP Post 6 was called by Bracken County Dispatch to investigate the fatal wreck, and the agency said the crash remains under investigation by a collision reconstructionist. Several local agencies assisted at the scene, including Bracken County EMS, the Bracken County Fire Department and the Bracken County Sheriff’s Office. In the hours after the crash, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said the AA Highway was blocked in both directions while law enforcement worked the scene. Officials initially told motorists to use alternate routes and avoid the area.
Traffic disruption and next steps
The closure covered a stretch of the AA Highway between Augusta Chatham Road and Dutch Ridge Road, centered near the 4.26 mile point. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials said the shutdown was expected to last five to seven hours because of the investigation. The crash first surfaced publicly as a road closure notice before troopers later released details about the fatalities and the arrest. KSP has not announced any additional findings beyond the warrant, arrest and ongoing reconstruction work.
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