COLLISION CRASH INVOLVED STATE POLICE CRUISER AND OUT OF STATE UTILITY TASK VEHICLE
HORRIFYING CRASH INVOLVING VIRGINIA MAN HAPPENED DURING VERY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING WEEKEND HOUR
AUGUST 26, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
The Kentucky State Police (KSP) Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) was requested by Post 9 in Pikeville to investigate a collision involving a trooper in the Dorton community area of Pike County during the very early morning on Saturday,August 22, 2026.
The preliminary investigation into the collision indicated that trooper Mitchell Culbertson and trooper Cameron Whitaker were in the Dorton community, where they parked their cruisers in the median of U.S. 23 to conduct highway safety enforcement.
At approximately 1:20 A.M., a Utility-Task Vehicle (UTV) side by side collided with the rear of Trooper Mitchell Culbertson‘s cruiser. Trooper Mitchell Culbertson sustained a laceration to the back of his head and was transported to Pikeville Medical Center for treatment. The UTV operator, James Chandler Honaker, 28, who is from the state of Virginia, sustained severe injuries, and was also transported to Pikeville Medical Center.
Trooper Mitchell Culbertson has since been released from the hospital; while James Honaker remains hospitalized in serious condition. According to a friend of the family, James Honaker suffered a brain bleed, traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, spinal neck broken in two places, damaged artery in his neck, broken sternum, both arms broken, femur out with muscle exposed, missing muscle from his calf, liver and colon lacerations, ribs crushed on both sides, every facial bone broken, lungs so badly bruised he cannot breathe on his own. They already operated on his liver to stop the bleeding and that the hospital gave him 4 units of blood. Hospital update: brain bleed, traumatic brain injury, skull fractures, spinal neck broken in two places, damaged artery in his neck, broken sternum, both arms broken, femur out with muscle exposed, missing muscle from his calf, liver and colon lacerations, ribs crushed on both sides, every facial bone broken, lungs so badly bruised he cannot breathe on his own. They already operated on his liver to stop the bleeding and gave him 4 units of blood. His mother stated that he has had several surgeries and that her son is at 50% on vent, blood pressure is jumping, brain pressure is a little on higher than normal and that he hasn’t responded to nightshift with any movement when doing pain response testing; and that the doctors stated it could be that it’s taking a really long time from anesthesia meds in during the operations.
She asked for everyone to continue praying and sharing and believing with the family, praying that the doctors go back into his leg on Wednesday and that they are not faced with making the devastating decision of having his leg amputated.
James Honaker’s mother said her son is the father of three small children. A GoFundMe account, located at this link HERE; has been set up for James Chandler Honaker for medical bills, support for his children, and caretaking while he fights.
The investigation in this collision incident remains ongoing and is being led by KSP CIRT Detective Randy Combs.
