Published: September 04, 2008 11:31 pm      

2 dead in crash on Ky. 5

One victim was former Tomcat football star

WESTWOOD — Two people, one of them a former Ashland Tomcat football player, were killed early Thursday in a single-car crash on Ky. 5, according to the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department.

Jason Nichols, 28, and Brandi L. Blevins, 29, both of 6221/2 Oakleaf Court, died when their car went off the road in a curve, according to the sheriff’s department statement.

Nichols was driving the car when it went off the left side of the road at the intersection of Meadowbrook Drive. The car hit a culvert and an embankment.

Blevins was wearing a safety belt, but Nichols was not, according to police.

Officials don’t know exactly when the car crashed, because it wasn’t found until about 7 a.m. when a passing motorist saw it and called 911.

Both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by the Boyd County coroner’s office.

Nichols played for the Tomcats from 1995 to 1997 and is the second-leading rusher in school history with 4,034 yards. He had 19 games of 100 yards or more and averaged 7.9 per carry for his career.

Nichols also scored 41 career touchdowns and 250 points.

His most memorable game came on Sept. 26, 1997, when he ran for 390 yards on 30 carries against Ironton in a 42-41 loss at Putnam Stadium. It was the highest single-game individual rushing total against an Ironton team.

In the previous week, against Boyd County, Nichols rushed for 226 yards on 27 carries. He finished that senior season with 2,088 yards rushing, which was then the Tomcat single-season record.

MARK MAYNARD contributed to this report.