Wrong-way crash kills 3 in Graves County

A driver traveling north on the southbound lanes of the Purchase Parkway collided with another vehicle, claiming 3 lives on Thursday night.

Kentucky State Police received multiple calls about a driver going the wrong way in Fulton County.

Troopers and Graves County Sheriff's deputies responded in an attempt to stop the vehicle. Just as one of the officers got the vehicle in sight, he saw the head-on collision occur.

The wrong-way vehicle, a pickup driven by 64-year-old Sammy McCarty of Clarksville, struck a minivan driven by 50-year-old James Johnson of Fulton. McCarty and Johnson were both pronounced dead at the scene by the Graves County Coroner.

A passenger in the van, 67-year-old Carla Watson, died later from her injuries at Jackson Purchase Medical Center.

Police had the road closed for about 3 hours. Toxicology results are pending and autopsies have been scheduled.