LOUISEVILLE, Kentucky – The four pedestrians who were taken to the hospital after police said they were hit by a disabled driver Tuesday night in downtown Louisville, officials said, included a University of Iowa women’s basketball recruit and her parents.
Ava Jones and her parents, Amy and Trey Jones, were beaten up with a child shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday while in Louisville, Witt State coach Craig Nicholson confirmed to Hutchinson News, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Nicholson coaches Ava Jones Wheat country eliteTeam AAU from Kansas.
According to Louisville Metro Police, the two adults who were injured in critical condition on Wednesday morning and the teenage girl are in a “serious but stable condition.” Police spokesman Pet Rove said the boy was treated for “minor injuries.”
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The family came to Louisville for Play 4 classic rosesthe Al Ain University girls’ basketball tournament that runs until Friday on more than 80 playgrounds spread throughout the Kentucky Exhibition Center.
Jones was ranked the 83rd best female basketball player in the country in the 2023 class, according to ESPNW’s Top 100 Players.
Amy and Trey Jones work in the local school district in Nickerson, Kansas. Amy Jones is the $309 Nickerson Associate Supervisor, while Trey Jones teaches high school woodworking and is a track and field coach.
Nickerson is a city of about 1,000 residents located about 60 miles northwest of Wichita.
Rove said the accident happened just before 8 p.m. on Tuesday when a driver rammed four pedestrians on Second and Market Street.
Rove did not identify the four pedestrians but said they were taken to University of Louisville Hospital and Norton Children’s Hospital.
LMPD arrested Michael Hurley, 33, after the incident and charged him with four counts of first-degree assault along with driving under the influence. Violation of possession of the license.
Hurley was turning left from Market Street heading north on Second Street when his car left the road and collided with all four pedestrians, according to an arrest citation. Alcohol was not listed as a factor in the accident, but the LMPD said Hurley told officers he had taken hydrocodone and was “too tired to turn.”
Hurley had a court hearing scheduled for Wednesday morning, and it was not immediately clear if he had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
On Sunday, Ava Jones announced her commitment to Iowa after initially choosing Arizona.
As a junior last season at Nickerson High School in Kansas, the 6-foot-2 forward averaged 20.8 points, 15.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.6 assists per game while helping her team finish fourth in the Class 3A Kansas State Championships. She has also qualified for multiple track and field events at the Kansas State meet and plays volleyball, according to Hutchinson News.
The University of Iowa said it was not allowed to comment on Jones’ position due to NCAA rules relating to non-signed athletes.
Brooks Holton and Billy Cobain report for The Courier Journal. Billy Watson reports for Hutchinson News in Hutchinson, Kansas, part of the USA TODAY Network.
