Funeral arrangements have been finalized for Cornelius Martin and Brooks Mitchell, two prominent Bowling Green businessmen killed in an accident Saturday in Logan County.

Their friend and fellow Harley-Davidson rider, Bill Leachman, was undergoing a third surgery this morning at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

Bowling Green attorney Steve Thornton is trying to cope with the loss of two friends – Martin was his best friend.

&#8220I just feel so sorry for both of the families,” said Thornton, his voice quivering.

Thornton normally rides next to Martin, part of an informal group of riders that sometimes numbers as many as 20 people.

&#8220We were best friends … and I think he thought that as well,” Thornton said.

Thornton was out of town Saturday and Sunday for his daughter Ann-Blair’s participation in the Miss Kentucky Pageant, or he would have been next to Martin.

&#8220I had to take her phone away until it was over (Sunday) so she wouldn’t find out about it,” Thornton said. &#8220She and I went over to the (Martin) house last night to be with the children.”

Thornton said Martin’s children have been used to getting so much love from their father that they were going to need much support from other family and friends.

&#8220He was just so proud of them,” Thornton said, noting that Chad was just named most involved student at Pepperdine University, Amber had just finished a master’s degree and two weeks ago began working in the personnel department at Martin Automotive and Coleman is headed for the freshmen class at Western Kentucky University.

Thornton said he and Martin joked that he would be sitting with the visiting teams at Western football games because Coleman made the junior varsity cheer squad at Western and that is where they stand at games.

Thornton said he recently had a conversation with Mitchell, who was bragging on his daughter Caroline’s new job.

&#8220They were just starting to enter the phase of their life … where the accomplishments of their children are far more important than theirs,” Thornton said. &#8220It’s just not fair.”

Thornton said he told his wife he planned to sell his Harleys.

&#8220She told me to think about it and wait awhile,” he said. &#8220Cornelius and I had planned to go to the National H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) meeting in Montana in August … since we had planned on doing that, I think I will still go and then sell my bikes.

&#8220You have to really know and trust the person who rides beside you and for years that has been Cornelius … I just don’t think I can do it (without him).”

Thornton said Leachman’s family also needs much support now.

&#8220They just spent a year and a half in the hospital in Texas with his stepson,” he said.

Philip Schardein, who was battling cancer, underwent a bone marrow transplant there.

Many of the same friends who supported them then are rallying again now, including Warren County Judge-Executive Mike Buchanon and his wife, Ellen, who live next door.

&#8220I talked to Lisa (Leachman’s wife) last night and he was doing a lot better,” Ellen Buchanon said. &#8220They were talking about taking the respirator out. And he was going to have to have surgery again today. … We are hoping he will pull through.”

Leachman’s left leg was amputated Saturday above his knee and on Sunday, another surgery removed accident debris from his body. The surgery today had something to do with work on the bones above the amputation, Buchanon said.

Martin was president and chief executive officer of Martin Management Group. His funeral is at 11 a.m. Thursday at Living Hope Baptist Church.

J.C. Kirby & Son Funeral Home, Lovers Lane chapel, is handling arrangements. Visitation is from noon to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Visitation is at the church from 9 a.m. until the service Thursday.

The family has asked that expressions of sympathy be made to one of two Western Kentucky University related funds – WKU Foundation/Martin Scholarship Fund or the WKU Foundation/Gail Martin Lecture Series – at 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101-9977.

Mitchell was president and CEO of Hancock County Bank and Trust. His funeral is at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Baptist Church. Patton Funeral Home, Brownsville chapel, is handling funeral arrangements. Visitation is from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the funeral home and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church.

Expressions of sympathy may be made to the A.B. and Brooks Mitchell Scholarship Fund, care of Bank of Edmonson County, P.O. Box 99, Brownsville, KY 42210.

Full obituary details for both are on Page 5A.

The accident was on U.S. 79, three miles from Russellville, at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday when the three men and a fourth friend, Lloyd Ferguson, were riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles to meet a friend in Elkton. The group had planned to go to Nashville.

Ferguson, who was not injured in the accident, said a truck peeked out from upcoming traffic in what he thought was an attempt to pass another vehicle and then slammed into the group.

The driver of the vehicle, Mickey L. Mosher, was arraigned today in Logan County District Court.

Mosher remains in Logan County Detention Center on $250,000 cash bond and is set to face a preliminary hearing Thursday.

She is charged with two counts of second-degree manslaughter, first-degree assault, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence. Mosher has two cannabis possession charges in Illinois from 2005. The status of those cases is not known.

An arrest citation from the Logan County Sheriff’s Department said that Mosher, 51, of Warsaw, Ind., told them she was reaching for something and took her eyes off the road. When she looked up, she was over the centerline and collided with the motorcycles, the citation said.

Mosher told deputies she was under the influence of marijuana, having smoked it within the last 13 hours. Deputies said they found a bag of marijuana in her purse and a tin of drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

Another vehicle was traveling with Mosher. It was driven by Susan Herrick, 51, of Silver Lake, Ind. When officers were doing interviews at Logan Memorial Hospital regarding the accident, they asked for permission from Herrick to conduct a search.

A Russellville Police Department citation said officers found a marijuana pipe in her purse and a small amount of marijuana stuck in the front seat, prompting charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and marijuana.

She pleaded guilty today to the charges in Logan District Court, where she received a 60-day sentence and was probated for two years, according to Logan County Detention Center records.