A fatal crash in Knott County is under investigation following an early morning incident this week.
Kentucky State Police say troopers were called out just after midnight Tuesday to assist a motorist along KY-80 near Sylvester Branch in the Emmalena community.
During that stop, the driver told troopers he had struck something in the roadway but wasn’t sure what it was. A short search of the area led troopers to a small minibike and its operator nearby.
Investigators say the minibike, driven by 48-year-old Denzel Napier Junior of Emmalena, was traveling along KY-80 without lights or reflective markings when it was hit from behind by a Ford F-150 traveling in the same lane.
The Knott County Coroner’s Office pronounced Napier dead at the scene. Authorities also say he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
Napier’s body has been sent to Frankfort for an autopsy and toxicology testing.
The crash remains under investigation by Kentucky State Police.