Southeastern KY man dies in fatal crash with Freightliner, state police say

A Kentucky man is dead after a crash in Rockcastle Saturday afternoon involving a Freightliner truck.

Kentucky State Police responded to a crash around 1 p.m. Saturday on KY 461 near the intersection of White Rock Road. When they arrived, they learned a driver died.

An early investigation showed that Hollis Smith was driving a 2011 Mercury Grand Marquis northbound on KY 461 when he crossed the center line into the other lane.

Smith, 70, of Somerset, collided into a 2024 Freightliner Cascadia semitractor-trailer operated by a man from Florida.

Smith was pronounced dead by the Rockcastle County Coroner.

Police said the investigation did not show that drugs or alcohol are a factor of the collision. An autopsy is pending.

This incident remains under investigation by Detective Shane Bowling of state police.

Taylor Six

Lexington Herald-Leader

Taylor Six is the criminal justice reporter at the Herald-Leader. She was born and raised in Lexington attending Lafayette High School. She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2018 with a degree in journalism. She previously worked as the government reporter for the Richmond Register.