Authorities have identified one of the two people killed in a fiery head-on collision on September 4 on the U.S. 60 bypass.
The Daviess County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Tuesday that 43-year-old Brian Phillip Deaton, of Oldham County, was a passenger in the crash and died at the scene. Sheriff Brad Youngman said Deaton was residing at Oxford House on Yewells Landing South.
The driver of the passenger vehicle has not yet been officially named, though Youngman said his office is working closely with the Daviess County Coroner’s Office and the Kentucky Office of the Medical Examiner.
Youngman said investigators faced significant challenges in confirming the victims’ identities because of the fire damage. Assistance from the Owensboro Police Department’s crime scene unit allowed officials to identify Deaton.
According to Youngman, investigators believe Deaton and the other occupant of the passenger vehicle were killed instantly.
“The investigation at this point strongly indicates that both of the deceased were killed on impact,” he said. “The force of the impact was such that the vehicles came to rest about 25 feet apart from each other. That separation was very fortunate for the driver of the pickup truck, because his vehicle did not catch fire, and he was stuck until firefighters were able to free him.”
Youngman also identified Justin A. Phillips, 24, of the 1600 block of St. Mary’s Avenue, as the driver of the pickup truck. Phillips remains in serious condition at a hospital.
“His injuries were pretty severe — a lot of bones broken in his lower body, legs, and pelvis area, along with internal injuries to some of his organs,” Youngman said.
Youngman said the cause of the crash remains under investigation and has been complicated by the fire.
“The vehicle did cross the center line for unknown reasons,” he said. “Our crash reconstruction investigators are doing the best they can with what they have to work with, but it is an older model vehicle, and many of the sensors and things that we typically rely on were destroyed by the fire.”
The collision has sparked renewed discussion about safety along the bypass, particularly in the section between Frederica Street and the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. Youngman acknowledged that traffic is heavier in that area than in other stretches of the highway.
“Anybody who travels the bypass very often knows that between Frederica and the hospital area, there are a lot more vehicles on the roadway at any given time than in other areas,” he said. “I don’t believe the speed limit is necessarily inappropriate according to state protocols and standards. However, when you do have that many vehicles together, a small problem can become a big problem very quickly.”
Youngman said his office has assigned Captain Duane Harper to study the issue and that they will meet next week with Daviess County Public Safety Director Jeremy Smith and Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen to review data and consider potential changes.
“We’ll be meeting with them to come up with recommendations that are based on data, not just people’s feelings or assumptions,” Youngman said. “We’ll also be talking with some of our state representatives about anything we’d like to request for this area.”
In the meantime, Youngman said deputies will maintain a more visible presence on the bypass to encourage drivers to slow down and pay closer attention.
“The prevailing opinion right now is that speeding is a major concern,” he said. “For anyone who shares that concern, we are going to be addressing it.”
