LOUISVILLE, KY — Two men are dead and another man is in critical condition after a crash in Newburg Monday evening, according to Louisville Metro Police. Investigators said a pickup truck was speeding on Poplar Level Road when it struck a box truck at the intersection of Bishop Lane and Tile Factory Lane.
Police said the pickup traveled underneath the box truck’s axle during the collision. Firefighters then had to remove victims from the pickup when crews reached the scene. LMPD said it is treating the wreck as part of an investigation by its Traffic Unit.
Police said reckless-driving complaints came in before the wreck
LMPD said officers received calls about a reckless driver on Poplar Level Road just minutes before the crash was reported. Investigators believe the pickup involved in the fatal collision was the same vehicle described in those earlier calls.
That sequence has become part of the police review as detectives try to piece together what happened in the moments before impact. The department has not released any information about why the pickup was speeding or how long it had been on the road before the collision.
Two victims were removed from the pickup and taken to the hospital
Police said the pickup driver was taken to a hospital in critical condition after first responders pulled victims from the vehicle. A passenger in the pickup was also taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
A man riding in the back of the pickup died at the scene. Authorities have not released the names of the men involved. They also have not said whether the three people in the pickup were all wearing seat belts.
Box truck occupants were not hurt in the intersection crash
The box truck had been turning left at the intersection when the collision happened, police said. There were two men inside that truck, and neither was injured.
Investigators have not said whether traffic signals, speed, or road position played a role in the wreck beyond the preliminary account that the pickup was speeding. The crash site remained part of the police examination as the Traffic Unit continued its work.
Poplar Level Road has seen a serious crash scene near Bishop Lane
The crash happened in the 4500 block of Poplar Level Road near Bishop Lane and Tile Factory Lane, an area with multiple traffic movements and intersection turning points. Police were called there around 6:15 p.m. Monday.
Because the wreck involved a pickup and a box truck at an active intersection, emergency crews had to work at the scene before the victims could be transported. The timing and location are now central to the investigation, which is focused on the events leading up to the fatal impact.
Traffic Unit investigation continues after deadly Monday evening collision
LMPD said its Traffic Unit is handling the investigation. At this stage, police have described the collision as a speeding pickup striking a turning box truck, with deadly consequences for the people in the pickup.
Officials have not announced any charges or said whether additional evidence will be released. For now, the department’s account indicates that the crash unfolded within minutes of earlier reckless-driving complaints, leaving two men dead and one other fighting for his life.
From the Twin Cities to the border and back, Travel Your Way keeps Minnesota informed.