I-64 Accident That Killed One Student & Injured Four Others May Have Been Hit & Run
A tragic car accident on I-64 near Frankfort, Kentucky, which took the life of 21 year-old Kiara Hinkle, may not have been an "accident" after all. Police are investigating the possibility that another car may have contributed to the wreck.
Police are looking for a tan or gold mid-size passenger car driven by a middle-age Caucasian woman that they believe may have contributed to a crash that killed Kiara Hinkle and sent four other young people to the hospital. Police say the car may have even stopped for a moment at the accident scene before leaving the scene.
The five students were members of The Lexington Church and were heading to a worship service in Louisville. They crashed on westbound I-64 near Frankfort just before 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Kentucky State Police are requesting that anyone with information about this devastating wreck contact Trooper Martin at the KSP's Frankfort Post.
Ms. Hinkle was a junior at the University of Kentucky. She was from Louisville. 19 year old Jason Turner of Florence, Kentucky, who is also a UK student, was in critical condition Monday night at UK Hospital. Another passenger, 20 year old Natya Stafford of Lexington was in fair condition at UK Hospital as of Monday.
Two other passengers, Nikki Berry and Aubrey Barton, both 19 and from Lexington, were taken to area hospitals but are believed to have been released.
The students are members of a church group called The Lexington Campus Disciples. The group will hold a prayer ceremony to honor Kiara Hinkle at 7 p.m. Thursday outside the William T. Young Library at UK.
G.C. Williams Funeral Home in Louisville is in charge of arrangements. Ms. Hinkle will also be among the UK students, faculty, staff and alumni who will be honored at 7 p.m. Tuesday during the university's annual memorial service, UK Remembers. The ceremony will be in the gardens outside the student center.
Commentary by Shawn Cantley: "It's unbelievable to me that someone would stop at the scene of this terrible wreck and then leave. I really hope someone has information that will help the police find this person -- especially if this person contributed to causing the crash." We will continue to follow this case and will update the blog with any new information.
