EMS DIRECTOR, PREGNANT WOMAN KILLED IN KENTUCKY ACCIDENT

Icy roads were blamed for a crash uesday morning that killed two people, including an emergency official and a pregnant woman in eastern Kentucky. "The roads were extremely treacherous today," Kentucky State Police Trooper Scott Hopkins said.

Paintsville EMS Director Christa Burchett, 33, Lowmansville, was helping a pregnant woman injured in a car accident when a coal truck skidded and struck both women, killing them, Johnson County Judge-Executive Tucker Daniel said.

Daniel said the accident occurred off U.S. 460, about five miles west of Paintsville, where the roads were slippery with light snow and slushy ice.

He said Burchett was helping Erica Brown, 24, of River, whose car had skidded off the road, into an ambulance. Daniel said the coal truck was coming over a hill and braked, but slammed into a police cruiser and ultimately the two victims. Brown died at the scene, and Burchett, who was also assistant fire chief, was pronounced dead soon after at a nearby hospital.

"It was one of those types of snows this morning that was deceptively slick," Daniel said. "It's just such a tragedy." The driver, Leslie Spence, 38, of Tomahawk, was operating a truck owned by M&R Trucking in Salyersville.

Hopkins said the accident is still under investigation and no charges were filed on Tuesday. No other serious injuries were reported.