Charge against Lexington teacher involved in fatal DUI crash upgraded
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Fayette grand jury upgraded Jaime Caldwell’s charge to vehicular homicide DUI.
- Police reported Caldwell’s blood-alcohol level was 0.278% at the time of crash.
- Caldwell remains on leave from Glendover Elementary pending court proceedings.
The charge against a Lexington teacher accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian while driving drunk was upgraded by the Fayette County grand jury last month, according to court records.
Jaime Caldwell, 29, was indicted on charges of vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol and aggravated DUI on June 24. The vehicular homicide charge, a Class B felony, was upgraded from Caldwell’s initial charge of leaving the scene of an accident, failure to render aid or assist with death or serious physical injury — a Class D felony.
Caldwell is a special education teacher at Glendover Elementary School and has been on administrative leave since her arrest. She was arrested about 90 minutes after the crash on April 16.
The crash happened on Georgetown Road, near Mercer Road, in Lexington. Joshua Hampton, 32, was hit by Caldwell’s car while walking on the road and died two days later.
Caldwell’s indictment says she caused Hampton’s death, and she was driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Her blood-alcohol content was 0.278%, more than three times the legal limit to drive, police previously said.
Caldwell told police she drank Bacardi the previous night, according to her arrest citation. She also told police she took prescribed medication the morning of the crash.
Caldwell was released from jail the day after the crash after posting a $25,000 bond, according to court records. She is scheduled to be arraigned in Fayette Circuit Court on July 25.
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