A stretch of I-75 in Lexington was shut down Sunday night after an 84-year-old man caused a crash by driving the wrong way. That man, Thomas Mollencop (Moll-en-cop), of Lexington, died at the scene, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office. Lori Weaver Hawkins, public affairs manager for AAA-Blue Grass, said wrong-way driving happens more often than many think.
“And a lot of times, you know, there are not only does the driver end up getting killed, but others on the roadway as well. So it's a very dangerous problem.”
The collision is under investigation by the Lexington Police Department Collision Reconstruction Unit. An 18-year-old male in another vehicle was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. Police say they believe Mollencop was suffering from a medical emergency. Hawkins said AAA has studied wrong-way crashes causing fatalities – and they’re happening more often. She said there are three factors most common in them.
“Those include driving without any passengers with you, driving drivers who are an older age, and impairment.”
Mollencop was 84; police said he was alone in the vehicle he was driving.
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