CRESTVIEW HILLS, KY — Four people were hospitalized with serious injuries after a violent crash involving several cars in Kenton County on Thursday evening. The collision happened around 5:10 p.m. on Dixie Highway near Winding Way and the Crestview Hills Town Center, according to the Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Department.
Investigators said the people hurt were all in the same car. The occupants of the other two vehicles were not injured. A bystander video shared with WLWT appears to show the car moving at a high rate of speed before it flipped and crashed, giving a brief look at the moments leading up to the impact.
Crash scene left one vehicle heavily damaged
Images from the scene showed at least one car with severe damage after being wrapped around a pole along the side of the road. The extent of the destruction underscored the force of the collision and the speed at which it unfolded in a busy commercial area.
Dixie Highway is a major roadway through the Crestview Hills area, and the crash happened near a well-traveled shopping destination. That location likely added to the disruption for drivers in the area as police worked to secure the scene and begin sorting out what happened.
What the video appears to show before impact
WLWT said it received alarming video from a nearby car showing the vehicle traveling quickly just before it lost control. The footage then shows the car flipping and crashing. Police have not released a detailed explanation of why the driver lost control.
Even without a full reconstruction released publicly, the video gives investigators and viewers an early look at the sequence of events. It also suggests the crash developed in a matter of seconds, leaving little room for reaction once the vehicle began to veer out of control.
Four hospitalized, but no injuries in the other vehicles
Authorities said the four people taken to the hospital all came from the same vehicle involved in the wreck. Police described their injuries as serious, though no additional details about their conditions were immediately provided.
The other two cars in the crash were not occupied by anyone who was hurt, according to police. That detail narrowed the focus of the investigation to the single vehicle that appears to have lost control before the violent collision.
Local police and county crash team are investigating
The Lakeside Park/Crestview Hills Police Department is leading the investigation, with help from the Kenton County Police Serious Traffic Accident Reconstruction Team. That unit assists with major wrecks by examining roadway evidence, vehicle damage and other physical details that can help piece together how a crash happened.
Officials have not said whether speed, impairment, distraction or another factor contributed to the collision. For now, the case remains under review as investigators work to match the video, the damage and witness accounts with the physical evidence at the scene.
Busy highway location raises questions for drivers in the area
The crash happened near a busy stretch of Dixie Highway close to Crestview Hills Town Center, an area where traffic volume can be heavy during the late afternoon. A wreck there can quickly affect not only the drivers involved but also other motorists passing through the corridor.
Thursday’s collision also highlights how quickly a routine drive can turn dangerous when a vehicle loses control at speed. With four people hospitalized and one car badly mangled, investigators will be trying to determine what set off the crash and whether anything could have prevented it.
