A 72-year-old woman was killed Thursday and her husband and daughter injured after a sign from a Denny’s restaurant fell on their car in central Kentucky amid high winds.
The sign partially crushed the car after it fell off a pole near a Denny’s parking lot in Elizabethtown, about 43 miles south of Louisville.
A crane was used to remove the board, which the crew said weighed about 1.3 tons.
Authorities identify victims:
- Lillian Curtis, 72, died of blunt force injuries, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office. Curtis suffered a “catastrophic” head injury, her granddaughter, Amy Nichols, told local news outlets.
- Her husband, Lloyd Curtis, remained hospitalized. Authorities say he was in the passenger seat.
- Their daughter, Mary Graham, who was driving, was released from the hospital after being treated for chest injuries, Nichols told news outlets.
They had driven off the highway while on their way to Columbia from Louisville, Nichols said.
Did wind play a role?
“I have never seen anything like it,” Chris Denham, Elizabethtown police officer, told local news station WAVE, adding that he is “certain” that wind played a role in the incident.
A wind advisory was in effect Thursday afternoon with peak gusts of 45 to 55 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Louisville.
Denny’s responds to incident
A spokesperson for Denny’s said the company is aware of the incident.
“Safety is our top priority and we are working with authorities to better understand what led to this situation,” the restaurant chain said in a statement to USA TODAY.
“Our thoughts are with everyone involved,” it added.
Contributions: The The Bharat Express News
Contact Christine Fernando at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
