A Cincinnati family is taking a Sharonville trucking company to court after their loved one was killed in a fiery chain-reaction crash on Interstate 64 in Kentucky last fall. The civil suit, filed this week, targets the carrier that employed the driver alleged to have sparked the pileup and accuses him of speeding, driving while distracted and staying on the road longer than federal rules allow. The September 12 crash near mile marker 61 in Woodford County killed three people and set off flames that engulfed multiple tractor-trailers.
Lawsuit zeroes in on speed, distraction and fatigue
The complaint claims 43-year-old truck driver Matthew Jackson was going too fast, failed to keep a safe following distance, showed signs of distraction and, in the words of the filing, "drove while fatigued after exceeding allowable hours of service." It argues that his employer should be held liable for those alleged failures. The family is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages. Local 12 reviewed the court documents and outlined the allegations.
State police outline how the wreck unfolded
According to Kentucky State Police, a preliminary reconstruction shows four tractor-trailers and two passenger vehicles were caught up in the westbound I-64 crash near mile marker 61 at about 7:30 p.m. Investigators say a commercial truck struck two passenger cars and then collided with additional commercial vehicles, triggering a large fire and multiple fatalities. Kentucky State Police posted an initial news release and later update with those details.
Three victims identified in filings
Authorities and local reporting identified the three people killed as Matthew Jackson, 43, of Cincinnati; John McBroom, 39, of Crittenden; and Casey Whitlock, 50, of Georgetown. The lawsuit states that McBroom did not die immediately, alleging he "suffered tremendously" before his death, and that his remains had to be identified through dental records because of the extent of the burns. Those descriptions appear in the family’s complaint as summarized by Local 12.
Sharonville-linked carrier named in suit
The lawsuit names Hillsboro Transportation Co. as the carrier for which Jackson was driving. Industry directories and federal transportation records list a Hillsboro Transportation entity connected to Sharonville, Ohio. That registration reflects fleet and licensing details that match a small trucking operation based in the Cincinnati area, according to industry data. BrokerSnapshot hosts the public company snapshot.
Hours-of-service allegations could define the case
Claims that a trucker pushed past allowable hours of service often become a central battleground in commercial crash lawsuits. Federal HOS rules limit how long drivers can stay on duty and require verifiable records of their time behind the wheel. In a case like this, lawyers typically look for electronic logging device data, dispatch records and maintenance logs to test the fatigue allegations and pin down the timeline. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration spells out those HOS and electronic logging requirements, which frequently shape how these disputes play out in court. FMCSA guidance explains the rules and the importance of those records.
What comes next in court
The family’s lawsuit now moves into the civil court process, which could stretch on for months as attorneys gather documents, hire experts and take depositions. Expect both sides to chase down truck records, phone data, electronic logs and any dash-cam or roadside video that might show speed, following distance and braking in the moments before the crash. As more court filings and official statements surface, and as investigators complete their reconstruction, additional details are likely to emerge about what happened on that stretch of I-64 and who may ultimately be held responsible.
