Alcohol suspected as factor in deadly crash on I-75 Tuesday night

A two-vehicle crash along I-75 late Tuesday evening claimed the life of a Louisiana woman.

Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley pronounced Ginny C. West, 51, of Breaux Bridge, dead at the scene from multiple injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident.

“She did die instantly,” Croley said.

The accident happened about 8:46 p.m. near the seven-mile marker of I-75.

West was driving a 2005 Toyota Rav 4 northbound in the southbound lane of I-75 when she struck a 2012 Lexus GX4 head-on, according to Kentucky State Police Trooper Lloyd Cochran, public affairs officer at Post 11 in London.

The driver of the Lexus, Chien V. Nguyen, 45, of Morehead, and his three passengers were all wearing seatbelts at the time of the collision. They were transported to Baptist Health Corbin where they were treated for their injuries.

West was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision.

Cochran said that alcohol is a suspected factor in the crash.

Croley said that he is awaiting the results of toxicology tests done on West before ruling whether alcohol was involved.

No autopsy was ordered.

Croley and KSP Trooper Tony Dingess are in charge of the investigation and were assisted at the scene by KSP Sgt. Steve Smallwood, Trooper Les Moses, Trooper Justin Oliver, the Williamsburg Police Department, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, Goldbug Volunteer Fire Department, Emlyn Volunteer Fire Department, Whitley County EMS and Campbell County, Tenn. EMS.