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Nicholasville woman killed in U.S. 27 crash

December 07, 2005|Lisa King

A Nicholasville woman was killed and a Lexington man injured in an auto accident last Friday at the intersection of U.S. 27 and Brannon Road.

According to Nicholasville Police, the crash occurred when Thelma J. Swiney, 66, of 1240 Short Shun, attempted to turn onto Brannon Road from U.S. 27.

Swiney's northbound car was struck in the side by a pickup truck driven by Christopher Cato, 36, of 3832 Forest Green Drive in Lexington.

Both vehicles ended up on the property of Kings Garden Center, located on the corner of Brannon and U.S. 27.

Neither driver had a passenger.

Nicholasville Police Lt. John Branscum said that the department's reconstruction team has not yet determined why Swiney turned in front of Cato. He added that alcohol is not suspected as a factor in the crash.

No charges have been filed against Cato. His condition is not known, but he has been released from the hospital.

The accident happened just after 7 a.m. at the beginning of the morning rush hour. Traffic was tied up into the early afternoon hours. Police were able to keep one lane open for both south and northbound traffic, which kept traffic moving, albeit very slowly. However, Brannon Road was closed to U.S. 27 traffic until 1 p.m. Branscum apologized for the delay in reopening the road, but added that it was necessary.

"The investigation has to be meticulous," he said. "You owe it to the people involved to do a through job."

The Fayette County Coroner's Office listed Swiney's cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Paramedics got to the accident scene at 7:19 a.m., and Swiney was pronounced death at the University of Kentucky Medical Center at 7:55 a.m.

Nicholasville Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Baker said that two fire engines were sent to the scene to speed the extrication process of the victims from their vehicles. A total of six city firefighters led by Battalion Chief Robert Carpenter responded to the accident.

Funeral services for Swiney, a native of Fayette County, were held on Tuesday at Betts & West Funeral Home.

She was buried at Camp Nelson National Cemetery.

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