Tayler Baker, 20, of Corydon was killed early Wednesday morning in a head-on collision on Kentucky 425 in Henderson County, a crash that unfolded in thick fog and shut down the highway for about four hours. The driver of the other vehicle, 37-year-old Lee Presley of Henderson, was rushed to Deaconess Hospital in Evansville with serious injuries.
According to 14news.com, the crash happened around 5:33 a.m. on Kentucky 425 between Kentucky 1299 and Kentucky 41 Alternate. The Hendersonian pinpointed the location more precisely, placing it about two-tenths of a mile west of the intersection of Kentucky 425 and Kentucky 1299. Henderson dispatchers, meanwhile, told Tri-State Homepage that the call came in around 5:30 a.m., a timing slightly ahead of the 5:33 a.m. figure cited elsewhere.
The Hendersonian reported that Baker was pronounced dead at the scene. The crash was a head-on collision between one vehicle headed east and another headed west, according to information relayed to the-hendersonian.com. Per WSON AM & FM, Baker was driving a Hyundai Elantra westbound while Presley was behind the wheel of a Toyota Highlander traveling east.
Fog Cited as a Factor Under Investigation
Thick fog blanketed the area at the time of the crash, according to The Hendersonian, and that weather condition is among the elements investigators plan to examine. The-hendersonian.com reports that fog was present that morning and will be looked at as a contributing factor, though authorities have not said which driver, if either, crossed into the opposing lane.
A Henderson County Sheriff's Office reconstructionist is investigating the collision, and as of the latest reporting, a cause had not been determined. The same outlet's report notes that reconstructionists were on scene taking pictures and measurements, with officials cautioning it was too early to pinpoint what led to the crash.
Henderson County Sheriff Chip Stauffer said there is currently no indication of criminal wrongdoing in the case, though toxicology results and vehicle-data reviews are still pending, the station reported. Kentucky State Police also confirmed the fatality and said the county coroner responded to the scene, per Tri-State Homepage.
Highway Closed for Hours as Crews Cleared the Scene
Both lanes of Kentucky 425 were blocked following the crash, along with a section of Kentucky 1299, according to the-hendersonian.com. The highway remained shut down for about four hours before the scene was cleared at approximately 9:26 a.m., the station reported.
Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including the Corydon Fire Department, Cairo Fire Department and Niagara Fire Department, alongside emergency medical services and Kentucky State Police, according to WSON AM & FM. The investigation into the exact cause of the collision remains ongoing.
