Louisville woman indicted in wrong-way crash on I-64 that killed an Indiana couple
UPDATE: A grand jury in Jefferson County indicted Turner on two counts of murder, two counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants, the office of Jefferson Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Wine announced Sept. 14.
In January 2023, she pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter amended from murder, two counts of wanton endangerment, one count of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of intoxicants and two counts of first-degree criminal mischief, with a recommended prison sentence of 32 years.
An Indiana couple died from injuries in a wrong-way crash that happened in the early hours of June 28 on Interstate 64 in Louisville, police said
A BMW was driving east in the westbound lanes of I-64 near Third Street just after midnight and hit a Saturn in the westbound lane head-on, according to Louisville Metro Police. The Saturn was then hit by a semitractor-trailer.
The front-seat passenger in the Saturn, identified by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office as 42-year-old Rachelle Hinkle, of Edinburgh, Indiana, died at the scene, LMPD said. Hinkle's husband and two juvenile passengers were hospitalized, and the husband, 44-year-old Allen Hinkle, died from injuries from the crash about two weeks later, on July 10.
The BMW driver was also taken to a hospital with "minor injuries," police said at the time of the crash, and the driver of the semitractor-trailer "declined treatment."
LMPD's traffic unit is investigating the crash.
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Police identified the driver of the BMW in early July as Faith L. Turner, 25, of Louisville, and charged her with murder, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol and first-degree assault in connection with the fatal crash.
Turner told an officer following the crash that she "had been at a wedding reception drinking mixed drinks," according to an arrest citation.
An LMPD officer "detected a strong odor of alcohol" on Turner's breath, and field sobriety tests showed Turner had a "lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes" as well as "distinct and sustained nystagmus at max in both eyes."
A preliminary breath test that police conducted at the hospital at 2:20 a.m. June 28 showed Turner had a blood alcohol concentration of .19%, which is more than two times the legal limit.
Her attorney, Alex Dathorne, told a judge she has no criminal history, and Dathorne told The Courier Journal in an email "Faith and her family are devasted and distraught that this event has involved injury and loss of life."
"We can do nothing on our end to undo that at this point," Dathorne said. "Please know that her and her family have them in their prayers and constant thoughts. This is a devastating event that has significantly impacted all that were involved."
A judge denied Dathorne's request to lower bond from $100,000 to $50,000.
Billy Kobin contributed reporting.
Reach reporter Mary Ramsey at mramsey@gannett.com, and follow her on Twitter @mcolleen1996. Support strong local journalism in our community by subscribing to The Courier Journal today.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville woman indicted in I-64 crash that killed Indiana couple
