Eddyville, KY. (July 1, 2021) – Troopers with Kentucky State Police, Post 1 are investigating a Wednesday evening collision in Lyon County that left one person dead. At around 5:50 p.m., Post 1 dispatch received a call regarding an injury collision on US HWY 641 approximately two miles north of Eddyville. Deputies with the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene. Members with the KSP Post 1 Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to investigate at the request of the sheriff’s office.
Initial investigation by the Reconstruction Team shows Travis L. Rodden, 39 of Poinsett, Arkansas was traveling north on US HWY 641, operating a 2016 Freightliner Cascadia, when the trailer he was pulling dropped off the east side of the roadway. Rodden attempted to maneuver the trailer back onto the roadway, but overcorrected, crossed both lanes of traffic, and collided with a tree on the west side of the roadway. William G. Hardrick, 42 of Princeton, Kentucky was traveling south on US HWY 641, operating a 2019 Autocar Refuse Truck, and collided with Rodden’s trailer, which was blocking both lanes of traffic. Hardrick was declared deceased at the scene by the Lyon County Coroner. Hardrick was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the collision.
The investigation and reconstruction is ongoing at this time and is being conducted by Trooper Aaron Jestes. Kentucky State Police, Post 1 was assisted on scene by the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Lyon County EMS, Eddyville Police Department, Eddyville Fire Department, the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division of the Kentucky State Police, and the Lyon County Coroner’s Office.