Rockhold woman dragged 1/16 mile by vehicle

A Rockhold woman was drug about 1/16 of a mile during an incident Saturday morning three miles east of Williamsburg.

Shortly before 6 a.m., Sheila Dawn Lawson, 40, was stopped along Ky. 92E in the second horseshoe curve because she had run out of gas.

Jeremy Melton, 36, of Shiner Church Road, stopped to help her and drove her to Williamsburg to obtain gas.

“They got the gas and put it in the back of his truck. He stopped at her vehicle and let her out. Not realizing she was still holding onto the truck, he dragged her approximately 1/16th of a mile,” said Whitley County Sheriff Colan Harrell. “This was unintentional. He did not know she was back there.”

Harrell said that he didn’t think Melton was driving very fast because he was looking for a place to turn his vehicle around.

When Melton turned his vehicle around, he realized what had happened and called 911, Harrell said.

Whitley County EMS treated Lawson at the scene for various injuries, including road rash, and possible internal injuries.

Williamsburg Fire and Rescue set up an emergency-landing zone at the fire department, which is about 1.5 miles from the scene of the accident, said Williamsburg Fire Chief Larry Todd.

An Air Method emergency medical helicopter then airlifted Lawson to the University of Kentucky Medical Center.

Whitley County Sheriff’s Deputy Brian Hensley is continuing the investigation.

No charges have been filed against either subject.