Press Release



Subject:	Two vehicle fatality accident closed I-24 bridge.

Date:	07-07-2010

On 07-07-2010 at 7:52 pm the McCracken County Sheriff's Dept. received a call of a two vehicle accident on the east bound I-24 bridge over the Ohio River. Preliminary investigation showed that a 2004 Dodge pickup truck operated by Bobby Joe Farmer 31 of Metropolis was eastbound on I-24 and struck another east bound pickup. The other vehicle was a 2004 Chevy pickup and was struck in the rear by Farmers vehicle. According to witnesses, the operator of the Chevy pickup (name withheld until next of kin is notified) had stopped on the bridge to secure a latter that was in the bed of the pickup. Paramedics from Mercy Regional Ambulance pronounced the operator dead at the scene and was assisted by the McCracken County Coroners Office. Also assisting at the scene was Concord Fire Dept. I-24 east bound was closed for approximately two hours during the investigation and clean up. The accident is still under investigation at this time. Update The driver of the vehicle that was rear-ended and killed has been identified as being 74 year old Donald G. Winn of Paducah. Investigation by the McCracken Co. Sheriff's Department revealed that Mr. Winn had stopped in the eastbound lanes of the I-24 bridge (in the traveled portion of the roadway). Mr. Winn had exited his vehicle and secured a ladder that was in the back of his pickup truck. Immediately upon getting back into his vehicle and attempted proceed eastbound, his vehicle was rear-ended. The force of the impact led to Mr. Winn's death. End of updated release Sheriff Jon Hayden Update July 09, 2010 On July 08 during the early evening hours, the McCracken County Sheriff's Department began receiving credible information about a possible 2nd passenger that may have been occupying the pickup that truck that was rear-ended and that was being driven by 74 year old Donald G. Winn of Paducah. No witnesses the night of the accident reported seeing a 3rd involved person at the scene of the accident. Family members reported at around 5:45PM (July 08) that 29 year old Michael Paul Cozart was last seen approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident getting into Mr. Winn's 2004 Chevrolet pickup at a residence in Metropolis, Ill. They reported that he had not been seen nor heard from since. Other's were interviewed Thursday evening (after receiving this new information) who reported that Cozart had been staying with his girlfriend two doors down from Mr. Winn's residence on Park Avenue. They stated that Mr. Winn had picked up Cozart at his girlfriends house to give him a ride to Metropolis. Cozarts family then filed a missing persons report with the Massac County Illinois Sheriff's Department Thursday evening. After learning of a connection between Michael Cozart and Donald Winn, and the fact that he had not been seen nor heard from since, officials began a search of the Ohio River Thursday evening utilizing boats from the Paducah-McCracken County Disaster and Emergency Services. The search was called off at about 9:30PM Thursday night. Plans to resume the search were made for 9:00AM Friday morning utilizing several rescue crews from the area. Local news media (WPSD-TV) ran a story at officials request at 10:00PM Thursday evening in an effort to ask for anyone that may have witnessed the accident on the I-24 bridge to call authorities. A series of telephone calls were received from persons that either witnessed the vehicles involved immediately prior to and immediately after the accident. The witnesses that officials were able to speak with stated that there was in fact a passenger in Donald Winn's vehicle immediately prior to the accident. Based on the accident investigation which included evidence recovered at the scene and witness statements, sheriff's investigators and the McCracken County Coroners Office have made the following findings: 74 year old Donald Winn was eastbound from Illinois on I-24 crossing the Ohio River Bridge. He had 29 year old Michael P. Cozart riding as a passenger. There was an aluminum ladder in the rear of the pickup truck that had blown out of the truck, landing in the right lane in the traveled portion of the roadway. Mr. Winn stopped his vehicle in the right lane, and his passenger (Michael Cozart) exited the passenger side of the pickup truck and walked several yards back to retrieve the ladder. Immediately after placing the ladder back into the pickup truck bed, the vehicle was rear-ended by 31 year old Bobby Farmer of Metropolis, Ill, killing the driver of the truck hit, Mr. Winn. Cozart during this instant, went over the bridge railing and into the Ohio River.There is no evidence to suggest that Michael Cozart was struck by either vehicle involved in the accident, but evidence would suggest that he may have fallen over the railing to avoid being struck by one of the vehicles. At approximately 8:00AM Friday morning, McCracken officials were contacted that a family member (cousin) of Michael Cozart had located his body in the Ohio River west of Interstate 24 and east of Metropolis Ferry Landing Road. Boats from the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, and McCracken Co. DES were dispatched to the area and did in fact recover the body. The body was identified as belonging to Michael P. Cozart. A preliminary examination of his body by the McCracken County Coroners office indicated that no trauma was present that would be related to him being struck by a vehicle. The investigation is continuing. Sheriff Jon Hayden

		Thanks, Deputy Richard D. DeArmond McCracken County Sheriff’s Department

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