16-year-old charged with murder following wrong-way New Circle crash

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with murder, second-degree assault and receiving stolen property after he drove a stolen car the wrong direction on New Circle Road, Lexington police said.

Eighteen-year-old Tabitha Busbee of Lexington died from injuries she received in the crashes Saturday night on the outer loop of New Circle near Tates Creek Road.

Around 11:20 p.m. Saturday, police officers on Mount Tabor Road near Richmond Road attempted to stop a Toyota Camry that had been reported stolen earlier in the day, according to a news release from the Lexington Police Department.

As officers approached the vehicle, it sped away down Mount Tabor towards Alumni Drive, according to the release. Another officer saw the Camry a short time later traveling the wrong way on the New Circle outer loop. The preliminary investigation revealed that the Camry struck a pickup truck and was then hit by another passenger car, police said.

Five people, including Busbee, the 16-year-old driver and another Camry passenger, were injured in the collision, police said. Two occupants of the other vehicles were also injured.

Busbee died at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital early Sunday, according the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.

The investigation was ongoing. Anyone with additional information is asked to call Lexington Police at (859) 258-3600. Anonymous tips, including photos and videos, can be submitted by texting LEXPD plus the tip to CRIMES (274637). Information can also be sent anonymously through Bluegrass Crime Stoppers at (859) 253-2020 or www.bluegrasscrimestoppers.com.

This story was originally published February 12, 2017 at 2:37 PM with the headline "16-year-old charged with murder following wrong-way New Circle crash."