Woman hit by car, killed while watching eclipse; 1 injured

LESLIE COUNTY, Ky. — A 23-year-old woman died and a second woman was injured Monday when a driver lost control of her car and struck them while they watched the solar eclipse in Kentucky, according to multiple reports.

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Authorities told WLKY that Alyssa Noble, 38, lost control of her car while driving on Main Street in Hyden on Monday afternoon, striking a utility pole and a pair of women who were watching the eclipse.

Officials pronounced 23-year-old Mackenzie Hayes, of Hazard, dead at the scene of the crash. Rhonda Belcher, 41, of Wooton, was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Hospital, Kentucky State Police said in a news release obtained by The Courier-Journal.

The newspaper reported that Hayes and Belcher were watching the eclipse around 1:15 p.m. near the courthouse in Hyden when the crash happened.

It was not immediately clear what caused Noble to lose control of her vehicle. WKYT reported that Noble was taken to Holston Valley Medical Center in Kingsport, Tennessee, after the collision.

Hayes and Belcher worked at Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky, according to the news station. They were on their lunch break when they were struck while stopping on the sidewalk to watch the eclipse, WKYT reported.

In a statement obtained by the news station, Barry Martin, CEO of Primary Care Centers of Eastern Kentucky, called the crash “a tragic accident.”

“We are asking that everyone keep all of those involved in your prayers and be respectful of their privacy,” Martin said.

Police continue to investigate the crash.

Cox Media Group