FALLS OF ROUGH, Ky. — Justin Nance, a 42‑year‑old man from Falls of Rough, died Monday evening after his car crossed the center line and struck an SUV head‑on on Highway 79 in Breckinridge County. The crash happened around 5:00 p.m. near the four‑mile marker of KY‑79, leaving a small community stunned and grieving.
Troopers from Kentucky State Police Post 4 responded to the scene shortly after the collision was reported and began their investigation. Preliminary findings show Nance was driving a Hyundai Sonata southbound when his vehicle veered across the center line and collided with a Jeep Patriot driven by 41‑year‑old Daniella Wright of Louisville.
First responders from multiple agencies worked quickly, but Nance’s life could not be saved. The Breckinridge County Coroner’s Office pronounced him dead at the scene. Those who knew him describe him as a devoted friend and neighbor whose loss hits especially hard in a tight‑knit community where everyone seems to know one another.
Wright and another passenger in the Jeep were rushed to University of Louisville Hospital with serious injuries. Their conditions were described as serious but stable, and their families remain by their sides as they receive treatment.
Kentucky State Police Reconstructionist Trooper Scott Wheatley is leading the ongoing investigation, trying to determine what caused the Sonata to cross the center line. Weather and road conditions at the time have not been highlighted, and toxicology results are pending.
Agencies that responded included the Breckinridge County Sheriff’s Office, Fire & Rescue, EMS crews, the Coroner’s Office and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. Their coordinated work helped secure the scene and provide care where it was needed most.
Friends and neighbors remember Justin as someone who always had a smile and a kind word. In a place where community matters most, his passing leaves a deep void. As people share memories and offer support, his loved ones cling to the moments that made his life meaningful and the impact he had on those around him.
