Indiana woman charged with murder after deadly crash in Louisville

JHonna’Kaye Parra of Cromwell, Indiana, has been charged with murder in the death of a man who was thrown from a stolen vehicle during a high-speed pursuit in Louisville. The 23-year-old driver was taken into custody following a crash in the California neighborhood that left one man dead and several others injured.

Louisville Metro Police Department officers attempted to stop Parra at 11:03 a.m. on October 27 near South 24th Street and Garland Avenue. According to an arrest citation, the car she was driving had been reported stolen from Peru, Indiana. Police stated that Parra did not stop and instead drove eastbound on Garland Avenue away from the officers.

As the vehicle approached the intersection of Dr. W. J. Hodge and Garland streets, Parra moved into the oncoming traffic lane to pass a car waiting at a red light. She collided with another vehicle that had the right of way. The impact spun the stolen car counterclockwise, ejecting a man onto the street. The vehicle then crashed through a chain-link fence and rolled over, finally stopping in the parking lot of Brown Forman.

The ejected man was transported to a hospital in critical condition and died on October 29. The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office has not yet released his name. Parra and one female passenger were also taken to UofL Hospital for treatment. Two other occupants of the vehicle were treated and released without admission.

Police assessed $500 in damage to the chain-link fence and another $500 in damage to private property. Both the stolen car and the vehicle it struck in the intersection were declared total losses. Each car was valued at more than $10,000.

Parra was released from the hospital and arrested on multiple charges, including murder, three counts of assault, receiving stolen property, fleeing or evading police, and three counts of criminal mischief. She appeared in court on Tuesday morning for her arraignment and pleaded not guilty to all counts. Judge Amber Wolf set her bond at $500,000 cash. Parra is scheduled to return to court next week for a hearing.