Auto fatality rates up in state ... but not in Pulaski County

Local News

June 8, 2009

By HEATHER PYLES, CJ Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Mon Jun 08, 2009, 10:33 PM EDT

Authorities are reporting an increase in the number of traffic fatalities in the state for 2009 as compared to fatal crashed reported during the same time period in 2008 — but statistics at the Pulaski County level are just the opposite.

The preliminary numbers released by Kentucky State Police come after a particularly dangerous week for motorists in Kentucky. According to KSP, nine people died in eight separate crashes on Kentucky roadways from Monday, June 1 through Sunday, June 7 in Boone, Henderson, Letcher, Lincoln, Logan, Marshall, Shelby, and Spencer counties.

Seven of the crashes involved motor vehicles and it was reported that five of those victims were not wearing seat belts at the time of the accidents. KSP reported that alcohol was considered a factor in four of those accidents.

Single fatality crashes occurred in Boone, Henderson, Letcher, Lincoln, Marshall and Shelby counties.

One double fatality crash occurred in Spencer County last week. One driver was transported to a local hospital and later succumbed to her injuries. The driver of the second vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

One motorcycle fatality occurred in Logan county this past week as well. KSP reported the victim was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

Through June 7, KSP preliminary statistics indicate that 325 people lost their lives on Kentucky roadways during 2009 — five of those occurred in Pulaski County, according to information provided by the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department.

Pulaski County Sheriff Todd Wood said should the trend continue, by July the figures for 2009 should be around half of those reported fatalities in the first seven months of 2008.

“It does look like it is cut in half from what it was this time last year,” Wood said.

10 traffic fatalities were recorded in the county between January and July of 2008.

A total of 850 traffic crashes have occurred so far this year in the county. 123 of those resulted in injuries.

The 325 fatalities that have occurred on Kentucky roads for 2009 is 14 more than what was reported for the same time period in 2008.

Out of the reported 276 motor vehicle fatalities, 153 of those involved victims who were allegedly not wearing seat belts.

16 pedestrians have been killed in crashes so far this year, 28 people have died in motorcycle accidents and five fatalities involved an all-terrain vehicle, or ATV.

A total of 76 fatalities have resulted from crashes involving the suspected use of alcohol, according to KSP.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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