West Virginia State Police troopers are working to piece together what caused a fatal two-vehicle wreck along U.S. Route 119 near Delbarton on Monday afternoon, September 14, 2026. The collision claimed the life of 29-year-old Nicholas David Edwards, raising fresh concerns about safety along that stretch of highway.
The crash took place right at the junction of U.S. Route 119 and Duncan Fork Road in Mingo County. Sergeant T.G. Kania and Trooper J.T. Kitts were the main state troopers dispatched to the scene after emergency calls reported a major wreck with serious injuries.

When officers and emergency crews arrived, they found two damaged vehicles blocking the area. STAT EMS medics immediately focused on Nicholas, who was suffering from critical injuries sustained in the crash. They loaded him up and headed straight for Appalachian Regional Hospital in South Williamson, Kentucky.
Medical personnel in the emergency room worked hard to save the young man from Delbarton. However, the injuries proved too severe, and Nicholas was pronounced dead at the facility shortly after arrival. Authorities promptly reached out to inform his immediate family members of the tragic news.
Because the death occurred across the state line in Kentucky, the Pike County Coroner ordered an autopsy. Official transport was arranged to send his body to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort to get precise details on his injuries for the official crash report.
State Police troopers are handling the primary investigation, with assistance from deputies with the Mingo County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators are looking into all potential factors, including vehicle speeds, visibility, and whether mechanical failure or driver error played a role in the collision.
As of now, law enforcement officials have not released any details about the driver or passengers in the second vehicle involved in the crash. The investigation remains wide open, and troopers say more information will be made public once crash reconstruction teams finish analyzing the scene.



