Two Martin County residents injured in accidents in Lawrence County just days apart

By Roberta Cantrell

BSN Editor

Two young people were injured last week in two separate accidents in Lawrence County, which led to life threatening injuries.

The first incident occurred Monday night, July 1, around 10:45 p.m., when a side by side rolled over the BMX track on Town Hill Road, causing 17 year-old, Martin County High School graduate Isabella “Bella” Thompson to be seriously injured. Driving the ATV was Luther (Luke) Wellman, from Louisa, who had recently become a certified EMT and was able to perform life saving measures on Thompson and aide in preserving her arm which had been completely severed.

Thompson who was airlifted to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, WV, and transferred to Ohio State Medical Center, is still hospitalized and still undergoing surgeries as of Monday, but is expected to recover with what family members say minimal use of her hand due to the extensive damage to her arm.

The second incident occurred Saturday, July 5, just before 1:45 p.m., when a Martin County man lost control of the crotch rocket type motorcycle he was riding on KY 32, west of Louisa, striking the guardrail moments after leaving a friend’s house where he had been visiting.

Dustin Kirk, 23, was airlifted from the highway with life threatening injuries but friends reported after multiple surgeries doctors were able to save his leg and shattered arms. Kirk is still hospitalized in ICU and is said to be recovering and showing some improvement.