Update – March 12, 10:40 a.m.
Authorities have identified the towing technician who was struck and killed Wednesday morning along I-165 in southern Daviess County.
The Daviess County Coroner’s Office said the victim was David W. Fischer, 71, of the 600 block of Eastwood Drive in Owensboro.
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Original story
A towing and wrecker service technician was killed Wednesday morning after being struck by a semi-truck while assisting a disabled vehicle along I-165 in southern Daviess County.
According to the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office, Owensboro-Daviess County Central Dispatch received a report of an injury crash at approximately 6:50 a.m. Wednesday in the southbound lanes of the 6020 block of I-165 near the Daviess-Ohio county line.
Deputies, along with firefighters from the Daviess County and Masonville fire departments and AMR Ambulance Service, responded to the scene and found that the pedestrian — later identified as the wrecker technician — had died from injuries sustained in the crash, according to DCSO.
Authorities said the initial investigation indicates the technician had exited his truck to assist the driver of a disabled semi parked on the shoulder when he was struck by a passing southbound semi-truck. Authorities said the semi also sideswiped the wrecker and the disabled truck, causing moderate damage to both vehicles.
The semi-truck that struck the technician left the scene, according to DCSO. Deputies issued a lookout for the vehicle, and the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office soon located it parked along the roadway in Ohio County with the driver outside inspecting damage to the truck.
Ohio County deputies and officers with the Hartford Police Department detained the driver — later identified as Suk Subba, 31, of Antioch, Tennessee — and secured the vehicle for evidence, according to DCSO. Subba was later taken into custody by DCSO and transported to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for medical clearance and a blood sample. Authorities said he was not injured.
According to DCSO, Subba was charged with second-degree manslaughter, first-degree wanton endangerment, leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury or death, and failure to give the right of way to an emergency vehicle.
The driver of the broken-down semi was also taken to OHRH for evaluation but was not injured, authorities said.
Southbound traffic on I-165 was diverted by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which closed access from the U.S. 60 bypass while emergency crews investigated the crash.
The Daviess County Coroner’s Office responded to investigate the death, and Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement inspected the semi involved in the incident. The Daviess County Emergency Management Agency also assisted with cleanup and coordination.
The roadway remained closed for approximately 2½ hours.
The DCSO Accident Reconstruction Unit is continuing to investigate the crash.
