What Happened
A North Carolina man was killed in a collision involving a commercial wrecker on I-65 North near Shepherdsville in Bullitt County, Kentucky, on Saturday, August 15, 2026.
According to Kentucky State Police, troopers responded to the northbound interstate near mile marker 112 after Bullitt County Dispatch requested troopers and an accident reconstructionist to investigate a fatal collision.
KSP identified the wrecker driver as Luis Gonzalez Perez, 34, of Louisville.
According to the preliminary investigation, Perez was operating a wrecker that had been connected to a bobtail tractor parked on the shoulder. The tractor was facing northbound while the wrecker was facing southbound as part of an effort to transport the tractor.
KSP said Perez attempted to make a U-turn across all three northbound lanes of I-65 so the wrecker could travel north.
As the wrecker was turning, a 2007 Ford Focus driven by Shawn Franklin, 43, of North Carolina, struck the wrecker.
Franklin suffered life-threatening injuries and was transported to University of Louisville Hospital, where he was pronounced dead by the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.
KSP reported that Perez was not injured and left the scene following the collision. Troopers and other law-enforcement agencies were attempting to locate him, and KSP said charges were pending through the Bullitt County Attorney’s Office. Trooper Jesse Harp is investigating the collision.
The following information remains unknown or unconfirmed:
- Legal owner of the wrecker
- Towing company or employer responsible for the wrecker
- Wrecker USDOT number, if applicable
- Owner and motor carrier of the bobtail tractor
- Why the tractor required towing or recovery
- Commercial insurers and available policy limits
- Whether the wrecker was operating in interstate or intrastate commerce
- Whether dash-camera, GPS, ECM, or other electronic data exists
- Final criminal charges, if any
- Complete findings from the KSP collision reconstruction
The investigation is preliminary and should not be treated as a final determination of civil liability or criminal guilt.
Why This I-65 Tow Truck Crash Matters
This collision presents a different set of investigative issues than a typical passenger-vehicle crash because the wrecker was reportedly engaged in a commercial towing or recovery operation involving another heavy vehicle.
According to KSP, the wrecker was connected to a bobtail tractor and was attempting a maneuver across all three northbound lanes when the collision occurred.
That may make several questions important:
- Who owned the wrecker?
- Was Perez working for a towing company at the time?
- Who dispatched or requested the tow?
- Who owned or operated the bobtail tractor?
- Why was the tractor on the shoulder?
- How was the recovery operation supposed to be performed?
- Did the towing company have procedures for turning or repositioning a heavy wrecker on an interstate?
- Were warning lights, flashers, cones, traffic-control vehicles, or other precautions being used?
- Was anyone directing traffic?
- How visible was the wrecker to northbound motorists?
- What did surrounding traffic look like immediately before the collision?
Those questions should be answered through evidence rather than assumptions about fault.
The identity of the actual businesses involved can also matter. A name or logo displayed on a tow truck does not necessarily establish the legal owner, employer, motor carrier, or insurer responsible for that vehicle.
As of August 18, 2026, KSP’s public release does not identify the towing company or the owner or carrier of the bobtail tractor.
Why Dispatch, GPS, Camera and Commercial-Vehicle Evidence Can Be Important
Commercial towing operations can generate records that may not exist after an ordinary passenger-car collision.
Depending on the equipment and businesses involved, potentially relevant evidence may include:
- Tow-company dispatch records
- The original request for service
- GPS or fleet-location history
- Road-facing or driver-facing camera footage
- Wrecker-mounted camera footage
- Electronic vehicle data
- Cellphone and dispatch communications where legally obtainable
- Tow tickets and invoices
- Tractor and wrecker inspection records
- Driver qualification information
- Training records
- Vehicle maintenance history
- Photographs taken during the recovery operation
- Records identifying the company that owned or operated the disabled tractor
Investigators may also look for roadway video, including any available interstate traffic-camera footage, along with videos captured by passing motorists or nearby commercial vehicles.
Not every tow truck contains every form of electronic information. The existence of a record also does not establish negligence. But determining what evidence exists and preserving it before it is overwritten or discarded can help establish a more accurate timeline.
Leaving the Scene and Civil Liability Are Separate Questions
Kentucky State Police says Perez left the scene after the collision and that charges were pending.
Kentucky law generally requires the operator of a vehicle involved in an accident resulting in injury or death to stop, determine the extent of injury or damage, and render reasonable assistance when necessary.
That issue is part of the potential criminal investigation.
It is separate from determining civil responsibility for causing the collision.
A civil investigation would focus on evidence concerning how the crash occurred, whether reasonable care was exercised during the towing maneuver, the driver’s relationship with any towing business, and whether another company or person also had legal responsibility.
What to Do After a Serious Tow Truck or Commercial-Vehicle Crash in Kentucky
If you or a family member is involved in a serious crash involving a tow truck, wrecker, tractor-trailer, or other commercial vehicle:
- Get appropriate medical care. Preserve hospital records, imaging, specialist referrals, prescriptions, treatment recommendations, and work restrictions.
- Obtain the official collision report. The report may identify vehicle owners, insurers, commercial operators, witnesses, plates, and other information not contained in initial news reporting.
- Document every commercial vehicle involved. Photographs of company names, USDOT numbers, unit numbers, plates, tractor numbers, and equipment markings can become important later.
- Identify every business involved in the operation. The tow company, truck owner, tractor owner, motor carrier, dispatching company, and employer may be different entities.
- Preserve available video. Save personal dash-camera footage immediately. Interstate traffic-camera, business-surveillance, and commercial fleet footage may also need to be requested quickly.
- Be cautious about recorded insurance statements. Avoid guessing about speed, visibility, distances, timing, or responsibility.
- Preserve the commercial records early. Dispatch systems, GPS histories, onboard video, and electronic records may be overwritten through ordinary business operations.
Evidence to Save
Evidence that may matter after an I-65 tow truck crash in Bullitt County includes:
- Kentucky State Police collision report
- KSP reconstruction materials
- Scene photographs and measurements
- Witness statements
- Wrecker registration
- Wrecker license plate
- Wrecker VIN
- Company name and USDOT markings
- Bobtail tractor registration and VIN
- Tractor USDOT and motor-carrier information
- Tow-company dispatch records
- Tow request or service call
- Tow invoices and recovery documentation
- GPS and fleet-tracking records
- Dash-camera and wrecker-camera footage
- Electronic vehicle data
- Cellphone and dispatch communications where legally obtainable
- Driver employment records
- Driver qualification and training files
- Wrecker inspection and maintenance records
- Tractor inspection and maintenance records
- Commercial insurance policies
- Roadway or traffic-camera footage
- Photographs or video from passing motorists
- Medical records
- Funeral expenses
- Wage and income documentation
- Records establishing the legal relationship between the driver and any towing company
Because two commercial vehicles were involved in the towing operation, evidence should be considered for both the wrecker and the bobtail tractor rather than focusing solely on the vehicle that was physically struck.
FAQs
What happened in the August 15, 2026 I-65 crash near Shepherdsville?
Kentucky State Police says a wrecker connected to a bobtail tractor was attempting a U-turn across all three northbound lanes of I-65 near mile marker 112. A Ford Focus driven by Shawn Franklin struck the wrecker. Franklin later died at University of Louisville Hospital.
Who was driving the tow truck?
KSP identified the wrecker driver as Luis Gonzalez Perez, 34, of Louisville.
Did the tow truck driver leave the scene?
KSP says Perez was not injured and left the scene following the collision. Police reported that they were attempting to locate him and that charges were pending through the Bullitt County Attorney’s Office.
Has the towing company been identified?
Not publicly by KSP as of August 18, 2026.
Identifying the registered wrecker owner, employer, dispatching company, insurance carrier, and any USDOT number will likely require additional records.
Could the towing company be responsible for a crash involving one of its wreckers?
Potentially. If a driver was acting within the course and scope of employment or performing a tow for a business, the driver’s relationship with that business may become relevant.
The evidence must first establish which company was actually involved and what legal relationship existed.
Could the company that owned the bobtail tractor also matter?
Potentially.
Investigators may want to know who owned or operated the tractor, why it required towing, who requested the tow, and whether the tractor’s owner or motor carrier played any role in directing or arranging the recovery operation.
Those questions do not establish liability by themselves.
Does a $750,000 federal commercial insurance minimum automatically apply to this crash?
No.
Federal regulations establish a $750,000 minimum level of financial responsibility for certain for-hire carriers transporting nonhazardous property in interstate or foreign commerce with vehicles weighing 10,001 pounds or more.
Whether that rule applies here depends on facts that remain unknown, including the legal motor carrier, vehicle specifications, operating authority, and nature of the transportation.
Can a wrongful-death claim arise from a Kentucky commercial-vehicle crash?
Kentucky’s wrongful-death statute allows damages when a person’s death results from another person’s negligence or wrongful act, with the action generally prosecuted by the deceased person’s personal representative.
Whether a claim exists against any specific driver, towing company, carrier, or other entity depends on the evidence.
How quickly should tow-company video and dispatch information be preserved?
Promptly.
Video, GPS information, telematics, and dispatch records may be overwritten or deleted according to ordinary business retention practices. Early preservation can be especially important when the ownership and operation of a commercial vehicle are disputed or initially unknown.
How Morrin Law Office Helps
Morrin Law Office helps Kentuckians understand serious semi-truck, tow-truck, and commercial-vehicle crashes.
Commercial towing cases can involve several layers of ownership and responsibility. Our team can help investigate the identities of the businesses and insurers involved and work to preserve evidence before it disappears.
That may include:
- Identifying the registered wrecker owner
- Determining the towing company and driver’s employment relationship
- Identifying the bobtail tractor’s legal motor carrier
- Locating commercial insurance coverage
- Obtaining police and reconstruction records
- Preserving dispatch and tow records
- Requesting available dash-camera footage
- Investigating GPS and fleet data
- Reviewing commercial-vehicle inspection records
- Preserving physical vehicle evidence
- Gathering medical, funeral, and wage-loss documentation
We also explain Kentucky wrongful-death and commercial-vehicle issues in plain English so families can make informed decisions.
Morrin Law Office offers free information and consultations for people with questions after serious Kentucky truck and commercial-vehicle crashes.
Sources
- Kentucky State Police: KSP Investigates Fatal Collision on Interstate 65 in Bullitt County
- WNKY: Troopers Seeking Man After Fatal Crash in Bullitt County
- WHAS11: KSP Investigating Fatal Crash Involving Wrecker in Bullitt County
- KRS § 189.580 — Duty in Case of Accident
- KRS § 411.130 — Kentucky Wrongful Death Statute
- 49 CFR § 387.9 — Financial Responsibility Minimum Levels
Disclaimer
This article summarizes publicly available reporting and general legal principles. It is for educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.
It does not assign legal fault or make conclusions about Luis Gonzalez Perez, any towing company, the owner or motor carrier of the bobtail tractor, an insurer, maintenance provider, or roadway authority. Do not contact crash victims or their families based on this article.
The legal owner of the wrecker, towing company, USDOT number, bobtail tractor carrier, commercial insurers, policy limits, final charges, and complete cause remain unknown unless confirmed through reliable public records.
0 Comments