3 airlifted from scene of head-on Dump Hill crash

The "Dump Hill" curve on US 62 west of Bardstown is shown in the green highlighted area. The orange line is the approximate location of the new approach now under construction that will bypass the Dump Hill curve.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

UPDATED: Wednesday, May 24, 2006, 10:40 p.m. -- At least three people were injured Wednesday evening in a head-on collision in the Dump Hill curve of US 62 less than a mile west of Bardstown.

The driver of one of the vehicles, described as a man in his mid-20s, was apparently ejected from his vehicle and found unconscious down an embankment. He was not wearing a seat belt. The man remained unconscious and unresponsive as he was being flown to the hospital on life support.

The Bardstown-Nelson County Volunteer Fire Department was called to help remove some of the injured from the vehicles. The accident occurred about 9 p.m.

Two additional individuals were airlifted to University of Louisville Hospital from the scene: an 18-year male passenger in the first vehicle, and the 27-year-old passenger in the second vehicle who was complaining of back and lower leg pain.

The number of patients required the use of two StatCare helicopters, both of which landed at nearby Samuels Field. The last helicopter lifted off from the airport en route to the hospital at about 9:50 p.m.

Sheriff's deputy and accident reconstructionist J.C. Holbert was called out to help investigate the wreck. US 62 was closed after the accident for more than 3 hours.

The accident took place on the Dump Hill section of US 62, named for the city dump which many years ago was located immediately south of the sharp curve just west of Bardstown. The old entrance gates -- now nearly completely overgrown with vines and weeds and long-forgotten by most passersby -- still keep watch over Dump Hill and have been silent witness over the decades to dozens of vehicular tragedies.

A new western approach into Bardstown on US 62 is currently under construction. According to the state highway department, the $5 million project, awarded to the Salsman Brothers Inc., is approximately 76 percent complete.

Construction on the project began last August.