Jury recommends 75-year prison sentence for man found guilty of running over Kansas family in 2022

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – After a five-day trial, the jury has returned a guilty verdict in the murder case of a Scott County, Indiana, man accused of beating four members of a Kansas family, causing the death of one of them.

Trial coverage

Michael Hurley, 35, of Lexington, Indiana, was accused of being high on fentanyl the night of July 5, 2022, when he ran over the Jones family at the intersection of 2nd and Market Streets in downtown Louisville. In addition to the murder charge, Hurley was also charged with three counts of assault.

Trey Jones, 42, of Nickerson, Kansas, was seriously injured in the collision. He died from his injuries two days later. Trey’s wife, Amy, and daughter, Ava, were also seriously injured in the crash. Ava, a high school basketball player who was recruited by several Division 1 schools, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Her younger brother suffered minor injuries.

Hurley was found guilty of all charges. On Tuesday, the jury recommended a total prison sentence of 75 years: 35 years for the murder of Trey Jones and 20 years each for the assault of Ava and Amy Jones. They also found Hurley guilty of being a persistent misdemeanor offender. The sentence will be served consecutively.

On the witness stand Thursday, Ava detailed the extent of her injuries. She said she now struggles with coordination and visual impairments because of the crash, and says she now cannot run or even read because of double vision.

Ava, currently a student at the University of Iowa, had committed to play college basketball for the Hawkeyes just days before the crash. She said it now takes her 20 seconds to write her name. Ava also spoke about the many surgeries she has undergone and the effects of brain damage, including memory loss, and the impact on her university studies and relationships with friends.

Ava did sign a National Letter of Intent with Iowa, but was never medically cleared to play. She recently announced her retirement.

Friday began with emotional testimony from Amy Jones, who also described the lifelong impact the injuries have had on her life. In her testimony, Amy said the car carried her for more than 110 feet before falling off when Hurley hit the brakes. Amy suffered 22 fractures in her body and has undergone 18 operations in just over two years.

On Monday, the jury heard from multiple witnesses in the sentencing portion of this case, considering the impact of Hurley’s crimes. Hurley’s sentence could range from 20 years to life in prison on the murder charge alone.

Several prosecution witnesses took the stand, including Trey Jones’ only sibling, his wife Amy, and his son Hunter Jones.

Hunter was the only one in the Jones family not injured in the crash because he wasn’t there. He had to fly to Louisville from college in Kansas and make the difficult decision to take his father off life support.

Now Hunter is doing his best to stand up for his younger brother, who is now fatherless.

“I feel like I have to be there and take the responsibility that my father had,” he said. “I have to be there and coach him along the way. I don’t know exactly what I’m doing. I try to fit into his shoes, which is quite difficult.”

WAVE News learned that this crime is not Hurley’s first.

Hurley was convicted of drug crimes in Indiana last year. He received a suspended sentence and is currently on probation. In this case, the prosecutor wants to use this Indiana charge as a sentence enhancement, which could weigh on his parole.

A final sentencing hearing will take place on Friday, December 13 at 10am

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