One dies in crash involving motorcycle on I-75 near 20-mile marker

A motorcycle rider from Indiana was killed Monday after rear-ending a tractor-trailer truck on northbound Interstate 75 in Whitley County.

The victim was identified as John M. Romine, 66, of Carmel, Indiana

Law enforcement and emergency personnel were called to the scene near the 19-mile marker at approximately 12:35 p.m.

A witness, who was driving a minivan nearby when the wreck occurred, said traffic had just come to a stop for an unrelated wreck further north. The BMW motorcycle approached the scene and was unable to stop in time to avoid colliding with the box trailer because of the wet roadway.

“When I got to him, he didn’t have a pulse,” the witness said of Romine.

Marty T. Byrnes, 56, of Elizabethtown was driving the truck.

Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley pronounced Romine dead at the scene.

Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Steve Douglas, public affairs officer at Region 4 in London, said Romine was wearing a helmet at the time.

The collision left parts of the street-style motorcycle scattered across the roadway.

Northbound I-75 was closed to traffic until approximately 3:25 p.m. as emergency personnel worked to the clear the scene.

Kentucky State Police Division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officer Chris McQueen is continuing the investigation.

Goldbug, Oak Grove and Williamsburg firefighters, Whitley County EMS, Kentucky State Emergency Management, Whitley Emergency Management and Whitley County Sheriff’s deputies responded.