MARTIN COUNTY WOMAN & JOHNSON COUNTY MAN CRITICALLY INJURED IN VIOLENT COLLISION CRASH ON U.S. 23 IN LAWRENCE COUNTY
BOYFRIEND OF VICTIM, WHO SERVES IN U.S. MILITARY, CROSSED ROADWAY MEDIAN LINE COLLIDE HEAD ON WITH TRACTOR-TRAILER
JUNE 18, 2026 – written by WADE QUEEN
THEY WERE A HAPPY BEAUTIFUL COUPLE: KAITLYN DELONG (PHOTO LEFT), 20, OF LOVELY, KENTUCKY; & JONATHAN HANEY (PHOTO RIGHT), 22, OF STAFFORDSVILLE, KY.,
The collision occurred around 7:15 A.M., shutting down both lanes of U.S. 23 for several hours as emergency crews responded to the scene and investigators worked to determine what happened.
The victim, who was identified as Kaitlyn Delong, 20, of Lovely, Kentucky, died at the scene, troopers said. She was ejected from the car, according to the Kentucky State Police statement.
Kaitlyn Delong was a passenger in a 2012 Kia Sorento that was being driven by her boyfriend, Johnathan Haney, 22, of Staffordsville, KY., who suffered a head injury , and he was later taken by EMS to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington, West Virginia, according to the Kentucky State Police.
Johnathan Haney is currently an active U.S. Marine; and he is a 2023 graduate of Johnson Central High School.
Kentucky State Police Post 14 reported Thursday evening that the preliminary investigation indicates that Haney was operating a 2012 Kia Sorento southbound on U.S. 23 when the vehicle crossed the median and went left of center into northbound lanes and collided with a 2005 Volvo tractor-trailer.
Kaitlynn Delongwas ejected from the vehicle and pronounced deceased at the scene by the Lawrence County Coroner.
The operator of the tractor-trailer was not injured.
A Kentucky State Police accident reconstructionist responded to the scene and assisted with the ongoing fatal case investigation.
