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UPDATED: Woman dies, man seriously injured following motorcycle crash on I-75 Sunday
Posted On 19 Aug 2012
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A woman is dead and her husband suffered serious injuries Sunday afternoon following a crash on I-75 involving their motorcycle and another vehicle.
The accident happened in the northbound lane of I-75 near the Exit 25 on ramp in Corbin. Witnesses at the scene said the couple, James and Vanessa Cheatham, from Hustonville, were riding on a Yamaha motorcycle when they rear-ended a Honda Accord. The motorcyle went airborne, and threw the couple off into the median.
Bystanders attempted to give CPR and provide other emergency care to the couple until EMS officials arrived. James Cheatham, 41, was airlifted to a regional hospital for treatment. Vanessa Cheatham taken to Baptist Regional Medical Center where she was pronounced dead by Whitley County Coroner Andy Croley.
The couple’s son was riding on another motorcycle near them. Witnesses said he drove back on the interstate, the wrong way, and suffered minor injuries of his own when he laid the bike over and slid underneath another vehicle. He was attempting to help his parents.
Traffic on I-75 was backed up for miles following the accident. Corbin Police, along with an accident reconstructionist from Kentucky State Police Post 11 in London, were on scene investigating the crash.
Check back to www.thenewsjournal.net for more details as they become available.
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I can’t even begin to say how sorry I am that this had happened. Venessa was such a nice lady.. She loved her boys very much. I pray for Chris that was with them this must be so hard for him. And for Ben. You both make your Mom so proud. I pray that Jimmy will recover. praying for you all and sending my love.
I was traveling back to Ohio with my family when this accident occurred. I have been praying for your family ever since.
me and jimmy and donna were real close in high school .i used to live in eaton subdivision in junction city,ky where the cheathums lived.i am very saddened by this and i send my deepest condolensces to the family.
I am a soldier in the Army stationed at Fort Knox K.Y. and on Sunday 19 August I was driving back to base on I-75 N, and I saw the accident after the medical personel left and myself, Rhea Pruitt (my wife), and everyone in my office just wanted to let the family members of the victims know that all of us are praying for you and keeping you in our hearts and minds!!! God bless you all.
So sorry for the loss. Venessa and I grew up together in the little Hubble community. She was always such a sweet person. I am so deaply sadden for her family. I hope and pray James makes it through. Thanks to all the people who tried to help them. Vanessa would have done the same for someone. Prayers going up for James and the boys, Jean, Jerry, Jimmy, Nancy, Kathy, and Penny. May God help you all through this most difficult time.
Our family was returning from Gatlinburg Tn back to Ohio on a family getaway when came upon the accident just moments after it happened. I can not stop thinking of this entire family. May God be with Mr Cheatham and the son. I started praying for the well being of the motorcyclist returning on the highway in the wring lane. To learn it was the son of the injured ones involved. I will continue to pray for the entire family and friends I hope the son and father recover their injuries and grieving scars. May God be with them and give them strength
We were about 10 seconds behind the accident. My boyfriend and I were heading home from NC and riding the Tail of the Dragon and put a ton of miles on the motorcycle that weekend. We pulled over immediately and started praying. We haven’t been able to shake the accident. We are so extremely sorry for your loss and our families are praying for all of your family. May God wrap His arms around you and help you through the grief and pain during this time. No words can really be said, but know that so many people are praying for healing in your family. Again, SO SO sorry for your loss.
If you will email me at nannynut2@aol.com I will give you Jerrys number. I live in Tn and staying in contact with Jerry and with Jimmys mom down at UT hospital. My prayers are with all the family
We here at Hitachi who were colleagues of Vanessa will share in a moment of silence today at 1:00 EST in rememberence of her. Our heart are heavy for her loss. Our prayers we send to her husband in hospital and to her sons for the strength to cope & carry-on for their family’s sake. May The Lord grant Vanessa everlasting peace and Bless her family, friends & relatives in this sorrowful time. God Bless those who helped on the roadside and those who continue to do so.
I work at Hitachi in Michigan and have had contact with Vanessa many times thru the years. She was a wonderful human being and dedicated to her family. God’s Blessings and prayers go out to the family.
The son is like a brother to me and I thank you all for all of your prayers and right now I am going to pray as well even though I did it a ton yesterday I will continue to pray. We will love and miss Ms. Vanessa
The son is one of my very best friends and I thank you all for his family for all the prayers they are greatly appreciated..and please continue to pray for them because its going to be a long recovery
Dennis I’m so sorry jimmy is a good friend of mine and he lives behind my mother on holtzclaw ln violet McWhorter we both send our deepest sympathy to you and the family jimmy and I rode together a few times were so sorry may the good Lord be with u
We were in the traffic. Sending prayers to your friends and family. We gave a moment of silence as we drove past the wreckage. Hope the others pull thru.
Praying also for the Cheatham family.
My Children and I were a couple of cars behind after the accident occurred. I had just asked my son to help me pay attention because I felt the traffic was moving to fast for the posted 55. And he told me immediately to slow he saw what he thought tarp in the air. It was then we saw Dennis’s brother along the side. A scene I wish I could have sparred my children. I immediately turned the radio off and had my children take their earphones out of their ears and we prayed out loud for many miles down the expressway. We even prayed for the man who turned around on his bike in front us (my heart breaks that it was the son) The image embedded in my brain is one I wish he could of been sparred. My heart goes out to the Daniels family. I will hug my children closer this evening and we will keep them in our prayers
Drove by this on the interstate today. Such a tragedy. I hate that there was loss in this accident. Praying for the family in this time!
My family and I were heading southbound on 75abd saw the accident scene about a half hour or do after it happened and we have been praying for all of you all day. We ate terribly sorry to hear that your wife and mother did not make it…. God bless you all and know that you will remain in our thoughts and prayers.
I am friends with Vanessa’s dad, I did have his phone number, please if anyone has Jerry’s number, please contact me. Thank you
I was about 25 cars back from this accident – my prayers were with the victims at the time and are with the family now.
Mr. Daniels, please extend my deepest condolences to James & Chris. I stayed with your brother while the others worked on your sister-in-law. Everyone on the scene acted on instinct and did what was natural: take care of one another. We will continue to keep your family in our prayers.
You are in our hearts and prayers. We were a car directly behind the accident and stopped when it happened. The woman who administered CPR was a hero. We were thinking of your family all day and are just devastated to read this article right now. We are so sorry for you loss.
we were in traffic for a while. I did not not see it but we was told by a trucker that it was an accident. I prayed for your family I am so sorry . tears and prayers for your family. my heart breaks for your family.
Just want to thank all the individuals that stopped to help. The individuals invovled riding the motorcycle was my brother and his wife. Please keep all of us in your prayers. Be safe traveling and may God be with all you and God bless the good hearted people out there that has the heart to stop and lend a helping hand. Again thank you all and Gos bless you all
Severe two plus hr backup. We are on i75n travelling back to MN and delayed 2+ hr so far. Detour around.