PIONEER, TN (WLAF) – A three-year old Kentucky girl was airlifted with non-life threatening injuries following a noon hour rollover wreck on Friday here in Campbell County. The initial call from First Responders on scene was for two medical helicopters, and soon, a third med chopper was requested. The third helicopter was then said not be needed. Related story.

The child was airlifted in one med chopper and her mother, 23-year old Mariah Stewart, both of Lexington, was transported in the other. Both were taken to Knoxville hospitals according to officials.

The trooper with the Tennessee Highway Patrol outlines in his preliminary report that the driver of a 2003 Toyota Camry, Shane Preston, 23, Nicholasville, Kentucky, and carrying the mother and daughter, was trailing a 2020 Toyota Highlander south on I-75. The Highlander began slowing in the passing lane, and Preston merged into the right lane. According to the report, Preston veered back into the left lane striking the Highlander driven by 62-year old Jeffrey Kersey of Cincinnati. Preston’s Camry went out of control, left the roadway and rolled over at Mile Marker 147. The Camry came to an uncontrolled final rest while the Highlander came to a controlled final rest; both on the left side of the road.

Preston was injured while Kersey and his 12-year old passenger were not injured. It turns out that neither adult in the Camry was wearing a seat belt, and the child’s restraint was used improperly based on THP information. The driver and passenger in the Highlander were wearing seat belts.

Preston was charged with violation of the seat belt law, child restraint device, drivers to exercise due care and driving on roadways laned for traffic. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/20/2021-11AM)