UPDATETwo die in KY 210 crash

Two people are dead following a two-vehicle crash on KY 210 at about 2:30 on Wednesday afternoon.

According to a Taylor County Sheriff's Department report, Eddie A. Propes, 54, of Yosemite was driving a 1998 Isuzu cab and box truck east on KY 210 when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a 1994 Peterbilt tractor trailer driven by Timothy L. Alley, 41, of Columbia. Propes' truck caught fire after the collision.

Both drivers died almost instantly, according to Taylor County Coroner Terry Dabney. Propes died of severe head injuries. Alley died of severe head and chest injuries.

A passenger in Propes' truck, Anthony W. Dalton, 56, of Science Hill was able to crawl out of the burning truck.

A Kentucky State Police Trooper, Gary Lafferty, who is a chaplain with the KSP employee assistance branch, witnessed the collision.

Lafferty was two vehicles behind Alley's tractor trailer.

"I saw the panel truck cross the center line and hit the tractor trailer pretty much head-on."

Lafferty was able to put out the fire, which he said was minor, with an extinguisher. He said he saw Dalton crawl from the wreckage.

"He was able to crawl through the passenger side door," Lafferty said.

Dalton was transported to Taylor Regional Hospital by Campbellsville/Taylor County Rescue for treatment of facial lacerations, a broken clavicle and several abrasions. He was treated and released.

Taylor County Deputy Larry Walsh, who investigated the crash with assistance from Campbellsville Police, Kentucky Vehicle Enforcement and the Kentucky State Police, said no charges are pending.

"It's just a tremendous accident. A very tragic accident."

Walsh said Propes and Dalton, both construction workers, were on their way home after working at a job site in Cecilia since 7 that morning. Walsh said it appears that Propes fell asleep driving.

Alley was en route to Leitchfield with 51,000 pounds of milk after having made several stops in Taylor and Adair counties, Walsh said.

As a result of the large amount of debris at the site, KY 210 remained blocked for almost seven hours following the collision, Walsh said. Traffic was diverted around the site via Wayne Road. A Kentucky Department of Transportation crew worked until 9:15 p.m., cleaning up nails, bolts, screws and wreckage.

Alley, a truck driver who attended Bloomington Chapel Brother in Church Christ, was the son of the Lloyd Alley of Columbia and the late Marlene Richardson Alley. He and his wife, Jennifer Deering Alley, had four children, Dustin Alley, Daniel Alley, Peyton Alley and Casey Alley, all of Columbia.

Alley's funeral was Saturday at Stotts-Phelps-McQueary Funeral Home in Columbia. He was buried in Free Union Cemetery.

Propes was born in Lincoln County on Jan. 24, 1954. He was the son of late Chester Jackson and Ruby Propes. He and his wife, Jeanie Combs Propes, had two sons, Sheldon Propes and Joey Combs, and two daughters, Trina Mitchell and Tasha Propes, all of Yosemite.

Propes' funeral was Saturday at Morris and Hislope Funeral Home in Science Hill. He was buried in Piney Grove Cemetery in Casey County.

Complete obituaries for Alley and Propes appear on page 5.

- Staff Writer James Roberts can be reached at 465-8111 Ext. 226 or by e-mail at writer@cknj.com. Comment on this story at www.cknj.com.