Louisville neighborhood mourns death of beloved neighbor killed in high-speed crash on Bardstown Road

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Two Louisville men are facing serious charges following a deadly drag racing crash on Bardstown Road that claimed the life of a respected community member.

Yusnier Pacheco, 42, remains in custody at Metro Corrections on a $250,000 cash bond while the other driver, Adam Steele, 38, has been released on Home Incarceration (HIP) after posting a $150,000 bond on Oct. 28, according to court documents.

The crash, that happened on Oct. 25 on Bardstown Road, south of the Gene Snyder, has deeply impacted the neighborhood and resurfaced painful memories for some residents.

The victim, Lorraine Wacker, 77, died in the crash, and her husband, Ronald Wacker, 74, was hospitalized with serious injuries, including broken ribs, a punctured lung and a lacerated liver.

Lorraine Wacker was a deeply religious woman and beloved neighbor. Her death has left a scar on the community that has already endured tragedy.

Tim Dench, a neighbor and friend of Wacker, expressed the frustration and heartbreak felt by the community.

"For all the reasons to have this wreck that took Lorraine's life, the worst would be something totally preventable — drag racing," Dench said.

Surveillance footage shows the two cars racing north on Bardstown Road moments before a white Ford Mustang crashed into Lorraine Wacker’s SUV.

For Tim Dench and his wife Lori, the crash is a reminder of their own life-altering tragedy.

On Oct. 17, 1989, just a mile from the crash site where Lorraine Wacker died, their car was hit in another wreck. Their nine-year-old daughter lost her hand in the accident, and she and their other daughter were rushed to different hospitals.

"Not a day goes by that the crash doesn't cross our minds," Tim Dench said. "And now we stare at the spot where Lorraine lost her life. So now it's two memories we relive every day."

Lorraine and Ronald Wacker were well-known in the neighborhood. Forty years ago, Ronald Wacker built the Denches' home. Over the years, as Bardstown Road grew, so did the speeding traffic.

"Every time you turn right, you can't really judge how fast they're coming," Lori Dench said. "Our neighbors, the Wackers, had no idea people were racing up the road at 120 miles an hour."

Pacheco faces a murder charge, while Steele is charged with complicity to murder. Both men are also charged with assault, wanton endangerment, and racing. Police said Steele fled the scene without stopping.

"It's hard to discipline adults," Tim Dench added. "As they grow up, it's a society thing. They just don't follow the rules like they used to."

The crash has left a neighborhood grappling with loss, frustration, and the scars of preventable tragedies.

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