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Social Media Campaign Calls for Reopening Investigation into Fatal Wreck

Justice for Shanice/Facebook

A growing social media campaign is aimed at reopening an investigation into a car crash that killed a Hopkins County teenager earlier this year.

A grand jury ruled the January 15 death of 17-year-old Shanice LaShae Bean of Nortonville was an accident and returned no indictments. But an online petition with more than 800 signatures accuses the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet of criminal negligence, given that a hydraulic fluid leak from a state salt truck was determined to be a factor in the wreck. The petition alleges the KYTC had ample time to clean up the spill before the wreck occurred.

"All traffic fatalities are a tragedy. We offer our prayers and heartfelt sympathy to the family," KYTC spokesman Keith Todd said in a statement. "Our employees have cooperated fully with the investigation. The findings of that investigation were submitted to a grand jury and the grand jury has issued a report."

Hopkins County Sheriff Matt Sanderson said his office conducted a thorough investigation into the crash. The findings of that investigation were considered by the grand jury. Hopkins County Commonwealth's Attorney Kathryn Senter said that unless new facts come to light, the case will not be brought back to a grand jury, but civil action could still be a possibility.

A related Facebook group - "Justice for Shanice" - has almost 1,300 members as of April 29.

John Null is the host and creator of Left of the Dial. From 2013-2016, he also served as a reporter in the WKMS newsroom.
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