The jury announces its verdict in the case of a man accused of running over the Kansas family in 2022

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

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Michael Hurley, 35, of Lexington, Indiana, was accused of being high on fentanyl the night of July 5, 2022, when he hit 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.

Hurley was found guilty on all charges.

Trey Jones, 42, of Nickerson, Kansas, was critically injured in the collision. He died of his injuries two days later. Trey's wife Amy and daughter Ava were also seriously injured in the accident. 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.

When Ava took the stand on Thursday, she explained the extent of her injuries. She said that because of the accident she now struggles with coordination and vision impairments and is unable to walk or read due to 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 numerous surgeries she has undergone and the effects of brain damage, which includes memory loss, as well as its impact on her studies and relationships with friends.

Although Ava signed a national letter of intent with Iowa, she never received medical clearance to play. She recently announced her resignation.

Friday began with an emotional statement from Amy Jones, who also described the lifelong impact the injuries have had on her life. In her statement, Amy said she was carried by the car 112 feet before falling when Hurley slammed on the brakes. Amy suffered 22 fractures throughout her body and had to undergo 18 surgeries in more than two years.

On Monday, the jury heard from several 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 for murder 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 who wasn't injured in the accident because he wasn't there. He had to fly from college in Kansas to Louisville and make the difficult decision to take his father off life support.

Now Hunter is trying his best to stand up for his younger brother, who now has no father.

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

WAVE News learned this crime is not Hurley's first.

Hurley was convicted of drug charges in Indiana last year. He received a suspended sentence and is currently on probation. Prosecutors want to use these Indiana charges as a sentence enhancement in this case, which could affect his parole eligibility.

This story may be updated.

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