A 29-year-old special education teacher in Kentucky accused of drunkenly running over a pedestrian on her way to school last month may face additional charges after authorities confirmed that the 32-year-old man she allegedly hit died of his injuries.
Jaime Caldwell, a Glendover Elementary School teacher, has already been charged with one count of aggravated driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of leaving the scene of an accident with failure to render aid or assist in the event of death or serious bodily injury.
The Fayette County Coroner’s Office confirmed that the victim, Joshua Hampton, died on April 18, two days after being allegedly struck by Caldwell.
As previously reported, officers from the Lexington Police Department responded to a call at 6:50 a.m. on Wednesday, April 16, about a hit-and-run involving a pedestrian in the 1000 block of Georgetown Road, approximately 75 miles east of Louisville.
When first responders arrived at the scene, they located the pedestrian and transported them to a nearby hospital for treatment of “life-threatening injuries.”
Police used the department’s “Real-Time Intelligence Center” to quickly locate the vehicle and driver involved in the collision, later identified as Caldwell. The “intelligence center” enables the department to gain access to public traffic video feeds and footage from private surveillance cameras with permission to aid investigations.
A copy of the arrest citation obtained by Lexington ABC affiliate WTVQ shed more light on the circumstances surrounding Caldwell’s arrest.
According to the report, police located Caldwell at Glendover Elementary School, where she works as a teacher. Caldwell’s vehicle was found with visible damage in the school parking lot, according to officers on scene.
They also reportedly noted that when they came into contact with Caldwell, her “eyes were bloodshot and watery.” They also claimed to have “smelled alcohol coming from her,” according to Lexington-based NBC affiliate WLEX.
Caldwell allegedly admitted to police that she had been drinking “Bacardi Rum” Tuesday evening and taking prescription drugs for anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure Wednesday morning, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Caldwell also allegedly admitted that while driving to school that morning, “she heard a thud, but did not realize she hit a person,” according to WLEX.
A subsequent breath test revealed that Caldwell’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.278, more than three times the state’s legal limit for driving. She was taken into custody and processed at the Fayette County Detention Center.
Caldwell appeared in court via Zoom on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to the charges listed above, according to WTVQ. After waiving a formal arraignment hearing, a magistrate judge set a $25,000 cash-only bond. She is scheduled to appear in court again on April 29.
Fayette County Public Schools issued a statement to multiple news stations about Caldwell’s arrest through district spokesperson Dia Davidson-Smith:
“Fayette County Public Schools is aware of the situation involving Jamie Caldwell. Due to the ongoing investigation and the confidential nature of personnel matters, we are limited in what we can share at this time. However, we can confirm that the employee has been placed on administrative leave. As always, the safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”