Paul Rafferty, 25, of Taylor County was airlifted to the University of Louisville Hospital Saturday night after being involved in a two-vehicle accident.
Adair County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a reported collision approximately 7.5 miles north of Columbia on Highway 55.
On arrival, deputies found Rafferty unresponsive and pinned in his 2013 Ford Fiesta, which had apparently collided with a 1989 Freightliner operated by 67-year-old Darrell Sprowles, also of Taylor County.
The initial investigation indicates Rafferty was traveling at a high rate of speed when he came upon Sprowles, who was driving at a slower speed due to being fully loaded with grain. Rafferty was unable to slow down in time and struck the Freightliner in the rear of the vehicle.
The Columbia Adair County Fire Department aided in extricating Rafferty from the vehicle. Adair County EMS transported him to T.J. Columbia, before he was moved to Louisville.
Deputy Joey Keith was assisted at the scene by deputy Josh Durbin, and Kentucky State Police troopers.