A murder charge has been filed as the result of a fatal traffic accident in Hopkins County Thursday evening.
Chad Blanton, 28, Dawson Springs, was pronounced dead at the scene of crash by Hopkins County Deputy Coroner Jimmy Matthews.
Charles D. Hayes, 36, Dawson Springs, was located and charged a short time later with murder, operating a motor vehicle under the influence/drugs/etc. second ofense, leaving the scene of an accident and resisting arrest.
The accident occurred at 5:09 p.m. Thursday on Niles Road, three miles north of Dawson Springs.
Kentucky State Police Post 2 had received a complaint of an accident on Niles Road, in the Dawson Springs area, and when he arrived at the scene Trooper Carlo Anderson discovered that a 1987 Honda ATV had collided with a 1997 Chevy S-10 pickup truck.
Blanton, the operator of the Honda TRX 250-X 4-wheeler, died at the scene from injuries he received in the collision.
Anderson reported that the operator of the Chevy S-10 pickup had fled the scene in another vehicle.
Investigators later determined that the operator of the pickup was Charles Hayes.
A short time later, the KSP reports that Troopers Derek Smith and Ben Sawyer located Hayes at his brother’s residence on Jennings Road.
Charles Hayes was arrested for murder and the two additional charges.
Nicky Hayes was also arrested and charged with hindering apprehension or prosecution first degree.
Both subjects were lodged in the Hopkins County Detention Center.
The accident remains under investigation.
Assisting Troopers Smith, Sawyer and Anderson were Sgt. Duane Snyter, Sgt. Matthew Jordan, Troopers Jacob Wilson, William Manzanares, Corey King, Christian County Sheriff’s Department Canine Unit, Medical Center Ambulance Service, Charleston Volunteer Fire Department, Dawson Springs Volunteer Fire Department and the Hopkins County Coroner’s Office.
