A Berea man who survived a fatal traffic accident last month has been charged with murder for his role in the crash.
Berea police had initially charged Elmer R. French, 70, with second-degree driving under the influence after a Dec. 3 accident near the intersection of Scaffold Cane Road and Logston Lane. Police say French’s Dodge pickup truck crossed the center line and hit a Toyota Camry head-on. The driver of the Camry, Jason C. Isaacs, 35, was taken to St. Joseph Berea Hospital , and then to the University of Kentucky Hospital, where he died from blunt force injuries.
French was cited at the time of the accident. He was taken to St. Joseph Berea, but was later transferred to UK hospital for severe, non-life-threatening injuries, said Berea Police Capt. Ken Clark.
Investigators added the murder charge after talking with prosecutors, he said.
Vehicular homicide defendants can face at least three charges, which have wide-ranging penalties: reckless homicide, 1-5 years; second-degree manslaughter, 5-10 years; and wanton murder, 20 years to life.
When asked about the decision to charge French with murder, Clark cited Kentucky Revised Statutes, which states that a person can be found guilty of murder if they operated a motor vehicle under extreme indifference to human life and caused the death of another person.
Clark said French’s blood alcohol concentration was at least twice the legal limit, but declined to say what the exact concentration was.
French surrendered to police at the Madison County jail in Richmond 12:30 p.m. Friday. French was released from the jail after posting a $100,000 bond.
Herald-Leader reporter Ross Jacobson contributed to this story.
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