A 19-year-old Henderson County man is dead after his ATV collided with a car Sunday afternoon at the intersection of KY 359 and Grandpa Jones Road, a rural crossing near Smith Mills. Leland Majors died after being taken to the hospital following the crash, according to Kentucky State Police.
Officials responded to the crash around 1:20 p.m. Sunday, per a press release cited by 14 News. Authorities say Majors was driving eastbound on Grandpa Jones Road and did not stop at the intersection with KY 359, where 45-year-old Betty McPherson was driving southbound. McPherson's vehicle struck Majors, according to the station's report.
A Road With Family History
The intersection is in Henderson County, where Geographic.org lists Grandpa Jones Road and State Highway 359, according to geographic records compiled by Geographic.org. Obituary records show Leland Majors was a grandson of Dennis Michael Majors, Sr., whose graveside service and burial were at Smith Mills Cemetery, according to Tomblinson Funeral Homes.
What Kentucky Law Says About ATVs on the Road
Kentucky law generally bars ATVs from operating on public highways and roadways, with narrow exceptions for crossing a two-lane road at a 90-degree angle or for direct agricultural, construction, or maintenance work, per Kentucky Revised Statute 189.515 as detailed by the Bullitt County Sheriff. That framework shifted in 2025, when a new law legalized ATV and UTV road use in parts of Kentucky, as reported by UTV Driver. The report describes Majors as traveling eastbound on Grandpa Jones Road and not stopping at the intersection with KY 359.
Kentucky law requires ATV operators to wear approved protective headgear whenever an ATV is used on public property, with exemptions for farm, mining, logging, other commercial operations, and private-property use, according to the Bullitt County Sheriff. The report does not state whether Majors was wearing a helmet.
Kentucky's Troubling Off-Road Safety Record
Kentucky State Police is investigating the crash, according to 14 News. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also maintains an ATV Safety Information Center.
The linked federal agency provides safety information about ATVs and other off-highway vehicles.
The crash is part of the article's discussion of ATV safety. No further details on charges or the status of the investigation have been released.
