KY teen with driving permit accused of excessive speeding, hitting parked cars
A teenager is accused of hitting four parked cars while speeding excessively on a residential Lexington street, according to court documents.
The crash happened just after midnight Oct. 14 in the 3100 block of Sandersville Road, near Spurr Road. Court documents say Tatyana Ortiz, 18, of Versailles, was driving 60 to 70 mph in a 25 mph zone when she hit the parked cars.
No injuries were reported.
One of the cars Ortiz hit belonged to Brittany Johnson, a resident in the area. She said she was asleep but woke to the sound of the crash and car alarms going off.
“I’m grabbing my keys and I go outside, and my car is up on the sidewalk kind of into my neighbor’s yard, and my trunk is open,” Johnson said. “There’s debris all over our yards. My neighbor’s car was so squished it looked like an accordion.”
Investigators estimated Ortiz’s speed based on the collision scene, witness statements and video, court documents say. She was driving on an instructional permit, which means she is not allowed to drive after certain hours without a licensed adult.
Johnson said she and her neighbors have seen people driving recklessly in the neighborhood before, and one of her neighbors has submitted multiple complaints to the city.
“We have kids, so the last thing you want is your child to be in the front yard, somebody’s speeding or not paying attention and something happens,” Johnson said.
Ortiz is charged with reckless driving, instructional permit violations, first-degree promoting contraband and possession of marijuana, according to court records. She was released from custody after partially paying a $1,000 bond.
“Ms. Ortiz maintains her innocence on these charges,” Ortiz’ attorney, Aaron Oppegard, said in a statement to the Herald-Leader. “She looks forward to moving on with her life following the resolution of this matter.”
Johnson said there were two occupants in Ortiz’s car. While they were getting interviewed by police, another car arrived at the scene and one of the occupants hopped in.
The car sped off down a dead-end road, so the car turned around and maneuvered around police to escape. Johnson said she doesn’t know if that vehicle was caught.
Johnson’s car was towed and later determined to be totaled. She has been using a rental car since the collision, but she was told by her insurance company she has a week to find a new car.
“To say that I’m stressed out doesn’t even cover it,” Johnson said.
This story was originally published October 16, 2025 at 11:12 AM.
