Fayette County

Updated: Man arrested after car runs off road, kills pedestrian in Lexington

Police blocked off the scene of a fatal accident Thursday at the corner of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road in Lexington.
Police blocked off the scene of a fatal accident Thursday at the corner of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road in Lexington. gbroekema@herald-leader.com

One man died after he was hit by a car outside a Lexington home Thursday morning, police said.

The accident happened around 6 a.m. near the intersection of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road, not far from Whitaker Bank Ballpark.

The driver of the car was going south on Russell Cave Road when he crossed over the middle of the street, ran off the road, hit the pedestrian and crashed into a house, police said.

The pedestrian, 58-year-old Juan Naranjo, died on scene, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.

It was unclear if the pedestrian lived in a nearby home, Lt. Ronald Keaton said.

The driver fled the scene on foot, Keaton said. A female passenger with minor injuries stayed in the car.

Police later confirmed that 30-year-old Kristopher Shawn Burden was the suspected driver and was arrested later Thursday morning.

A Lexington officer wrote in an arrest citation that Burden hit and killed the pedestrian and then fled the scene. He was found two hours later in the area of Short Street and Limestone, according to arrest records.

His driver’s license and registration plates were both expired, according to arrest records.

Burden, a Georgetown resident, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failing to maintain insurance, not having any registration plates and driving on an expired license, according to arrest records. He was taken to the Lexington-Fayette County Jail after his arrest.

Police said additional charges may be filed against Burden. The police department’s Collision Reconstruction Unit was still investigating as of Thursday afternoon.

Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn worked at the scene of a fatal accident early Thursday at the corner of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road in Lexington.
Fayette County Coroner Gary Ginn worked at the scene of a fatal accident early Thursday at the corner of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road in Lexington. Gabi Broekema gbroekema@herald-leader.com

Occupants of the home hit by the car had to duck under caution tape to get out of their house Thursday morning. Keaton said the house didn’t suffer any structural damage. The car remained in the front yard as investigators reconstructed the crash.

The intersection of Russell Cave Road and Kees Road reopened just before 10:30 a.m., according to the Lexington Traffic Management Center.

Lexington police investigated the death of a pedestrian struck by a car that also hit a house Thursday. The driver of the car fled the scene on foot. police say.
Lexington police investigated the death of a pedestrian struck by a car that also hit a house Thursday. The driver of the car fled the scene on foot. police say. Gabi Broekema gbroekema@herald-leader.com

This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 7:50 AM.

Jeremy Chisenhall
Lexington Herald-Leader
Jeremy Chisenhall covers criminal justice and breaking news for the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com. He joined the paper in 2020, and is originally from Erlanger, Ky.
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