An Ohio man has been charged with second degree manslaughter following a fatal traffic crash Sunday evening on Ky. Rt. 8 near the Lewis and Greenup county line.
Deputy Eric Poynter said the incident happened about 7:45 p.m. on Ky. Rt. 8 at the intersection of Old Dam 31 Road, just west of the Greenup County line.
Poynter said a 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pick-up, operated by Brent Bostick, 34, of South Webster, Ohio, was traveling west on the roadway and a 1998 Chevrolet Lumina, operated by Derek Hettinger, 24, of Lucasville, Ohio, was traveling east on the roadway.
Poynter said the pick-up traveled into the eastbound lane and collided nearly head-on with the Chevrolet Lumina.
The pick-up came to rest across both lanes of the roadway and the Lumina came to rest in the ditch on the south side of Ky. Rt. 8, across from Old Dam 31 Road, Poynter said.
Derek Hettinger and a passenger in the Lumina, Valerie Hettinger, 47, of Lucasville, Ohio, were removed from the vehicle by rescue crews utilizing the Jaws of Life. They were taken to Southern Ohio Medical Center in Portsmouth, Ohio, by crews with Portsmouth Ambulance.
Derek Hettinger perished at the Portsmouth hospital a short while later and Valerie Hettinger was airlifted from there to a trauma center with multiple injuries, Poynter said.
Bostick was taken to Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville where he was treated for relatively minor injuries and released, Poynter said.
He added that Bostick was taken into custody by Deputy Bryon Walker and charged with second degree manslaughter (class C felony) and DUI (class B misdemeanor) before being lodged in the Lewis County Detention Center.
Poynter said additional charges are pending in the incident.
Poynter was assisted at the scene by Walker, Firebrick Fire and Rescue, Garrison Fire and Rescue, South Shore Fire and Rescue, Portsmouth Ambulance, and Mike’s Towing.
The roadway remained closed for about three hours following the crash until the scene could be cleared.