Bledsoe, KY, Woman Arrested After Serious Accident Involving Children

From The Big One 106.3 -

Breanna Merrill - HCDC

As we previously reported on our social media page, there was a single-vehicle accident with injuries on Highway 421 in the Bledsoe community Monday evening, August 4, 2025, just before 7:45pm.

Responding to the scene was KSP Trooper Cornett, who found that a white 2005 Ford Ranger had left the roadway and impacted a tree off the northbound side of 421. All occupants were out of the vehicle being rendered aid by the Bledsoe Volunteer Fire Department and Lifeguard EMS.

The operator, identified as 21-year-old Breanna Merrill of Bledsoe, was on the ground with a neck brace, complaining of pain. She told the trooper she wasn't wearing her seat belt. There were also two children ages 2 and 3 being attended to by first responders. One child had several facial injuries and the other minor injuries. The 3-year-old had not been in a child restraint device, whereas the 2-year-old was in a car seat, but it had not been fastened in the vehicle.

The trooper stated in the citation that no tire marks were seen on the roadway that would have indicated an attempt to stop or brake. He also found that the truck had no registration, and Merrill stated she had no insurance. Merrill further stated she almost hit a guardrail, swerved, and left the road. She also admitted to using a DAB pen, which lets the user inhale cannabis concentrates without flame or water.

Due to Merrill's possible injuries, standard field sobriety tests were not possible, but a SoTaxa (Oral Fluid Mobile Test) was administered, which indicated a positive result for cannabis. Merrill was then transported to Harlan ARH Hospital, where she was treated and submitted to a blood test, which is pending. She was later medically cleared from the hospital and then transported to the Harlan County Detention Center.

The 3-year-old child was flown from the scene to a hospital, while the 2-year-old was transported via ambulance to Harlan ARH. Their conditions have yet to be released.

Breanna Merrill was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of a controlled substance - 1st offense, endangering the welfare of a minor, failure to use a child restraint device in a vehicle, no license, failure to maintain insurance, failure to produce an insurance card, failure to wear a seatbelt, no registration, and no registration plates.

She is being held on a $5,000 cash bond.