KY woman accused of running car into crowd of people in downtown Lexington
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Woman allegedly drove Tesla Model 3 over curb into crowd, injuring four.
- Arrested after officers found alcohol impairment signs and a fake ID.
- Charged with four second-degree assaults, wanton endangerment, DUI, reckless driving.
A Central Kentucky woman was arrested Sunday after police say she ran a car into a crowd of people in downtown Lexington, according to court documents.
The incident happened just before 2:15 a.m. in the area of Short and Mill streets. Court documents say Kaydence Abbigail Carpenter, 20, of Frankfort, was involved in a disorder in a parking lot and drove a Tesla Model 3 over a curb and into a group of people.
Surveillance video obtained by WKYT shows a crowd of people surrounding the Tesla as the driver goes into the reverse. The vehicle then accelerates forward while turning onto Short Street, running over a few pedestrians while others run away.
Four pedestrians were injured. Court documents say Carpenter’s actions, “created substantial danger of death and/or serious physical injury to others.”
Carpenter continued driving in the wrong direction on Short Street until she was stopped by officers. Court documents say officers found evidence that she had been drinking alcohol and placed her under arrest.
Carpenter also took field sobriety tests after being placed under arrest, and shows signs of impairment, according to court documents. Officers found a fake ID that belonged to Carpenter.
Carpenter is charged with four counts of second-degree assault, first-degree wanton endangerment, DUI, reckless driving and licensee allowing a person under the age of 21 on premises where alcohol is sold, according to court records. She was released from the Fayette County Detention Center Saturday after posting a $5,000 bond.
Carpenter is scheduled to be arraigned in Fayette District Court Monday, according to court records.
This story was originally published March 23, 2026 at 8:51 AM.
