A Hardin County man has been charged after he struck and killed a young Kentucky man on the Bluegrass Parkway.
Kentucky State Police said troopers responded to the incident Friday evening at approximately 11:00 near the westbound 13-mile marker of the parkway in Nelson County.
The investigation revealed that 20-year-old Nelson Pacheco, Jr., of Cicero, Illinois, was changing a tire in the westbound emergency lane while another pedestrian, 20-year-old Amari Mays-Clark, of Frankfort, was standing near the rear driver’s side bumper.
While Pacheco was changing the tire, a Jeep Grand Cherokee, being driven by 48-year-old Jason T. Hamilton, of Rineyville, crossed the fog line and struck Pacheco and Mays-Clark and continued without stopping, according to state police.
Mays-Clark was pronounced deceased at the scene by the Nelson County Coroner’s Office. Pacheco was transported to Baptist Health Hardin for non-life-threatening injuries.
Hamilton turned himself into state police several hours later and was charged with vehicular homicide when under the influence of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid or assistance and fourth-degree assault.
He was lodged in the Nelson County Detention Center on a $500,000 cash bond.
The ongoing investigation is being led by KSP accident reconstructionist, Trooper Scott Wheatley.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
