Scott City man injured in western Kentucky auto crash

MORGANFIELD, Ky. -- Three Illinoisans were killed and another person critically injured in a wreck on an Ohio River bridge in western Kentucky, Kentucky State Police said.

Vernon M. Hazel, 51, of Scott City, Mo., was westbound on the Highway 56 bridge Friday when his car crossed the center line and hit a car driven by Opal M. Colboth, 69, of Creal Springs, Ill., police said.

Colboth and two passengers in the same car -- Floyd J. Ford, 73, of Creal Springs, and Jack D. Edwards, 60, of Marion, Ill. -- were all killed, police said.

Hazel was flown to St. Mary's Medical Center in Evansville, Ind., where he was in critical condition Friday night, The (Henderson) Gleaner reported.

The wreck happened at about 4:45 p.m. CDT, closing the Shawneetown Bridge for more than an hour, officials said. The bridge links Union County with Shawneetown, Ill.