A Virginia man is facing felony charges, including a manslaughter charge, in relation to a fatal vehicle crash in Letcher County.
37-year-old Travis Helbert, of Appalachia, Virginia, was charged in the death of a female killed in a crash on U.S. 119 at Payne Gap near Jenkins. The wreck happened shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday at the intersection of U.S. 119 and Bentley Loop.
Kentucky State Police confirmed to EKB News that one of the three people injured in the crash died following the wreck. The investigation is still ongoing, but police at the scene said a pickup truck, driven by Helbert and hauling a loaded horse trailer, crossed into the path of a 4-door sedan carrying three occupants and the vehicles collided.
The female who died following the wreck was a passenger in the sedan. Her name had not yet been released as of the posting of this report. Helbert was not injured. The extent of the injuries suffered by the other two occupants of the sedan was not available as of this report, although one was transported by ambulance from Whitesburg ARH Hospital to Pikeville Medical Center.
Kentucky State Police have charged Helbert with second-degree manslaughter, two counts of first-degree assault, DUI, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A horse being hauled in the trailer, which detected from Helbert’s truck and came to rest some 50 feet from the crash, was remanded to the care of a neighbor near the scene of the crash. Helbert indicated at the scene that he was returning to Virginia from the Knott County Trail Ride, which was held this weekend.
More charges against Helbert could be forthcoming.
