MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The family of a 16-year-old killed in a crash on I-75 is working to change Kentucky traffic law, saying CDL drivers must be held to a higher standard.
Seven months after Tristan Brown was killed in a crash on Interstate 75, his family is channeling their grief into action — pushing Kentucky lawmakers to pass what they're calling "Tristan's Law."
On July 20, 2025, Rico Brown Jr. was driving on I-75 with his two children when their Chevrolet Silverado was struck from behind by a tractor-trailer. The impact caused their truck to spin out of control and crash into another truck. Tristan was ejected from the vehicle during the crash and died a day later from his injuries. His father and sister sustained severe injuries.
The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Virginia-based Hills Trucking Company and driver David Turner. The lawsuit alleges Turner was speeding in a construction zone and failed to brake after the crash. Kentucky State Police cited Turner for inattentive or distracted driving.
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Tristan's mother, Lindsey Brown, says a citation is not enough.
"It makes me angry. For the past seven months, our life has been in shambles," Lindsey Brown said.
The family is now advocating for Tristan's Law, a proposal that would give officers the authority to arrest CDL drivers for reckless driving.
"It's really important to me because I feel like semi drivers and CDL drivers should be held to a higher standard because they hold a license for this job and they are at this job. So they should not be able to just know that they can get on their phone, cause a wreck, and walk away with almost no punishment," said Tristan's aunt, Gabrielle Hughes.
Hughes said the fight is about more than her family.
"There are so many families out there that have lost somebody. And the person that took their loved ones life is just out walking free and theirs has not changed at all," said Hughes.
Senator Jared Carpenter, of Berea, has agreed to sponsor the bill. The next step is introducing it to lawmakers. The family says they are currently gathering signatures from CDL drivers, law enforcement, first responders, and community members to build support.
"The more that we have, the better it's going to be once we continue to push this law forward," Brown said.
If you'd like to send a letter of support, email: contact@thetristanproject.com
You can learn more about The Tristan Project here: The Tristan Project
