COLUMBUS, Ind. — An initial hearing was held Friday afternoon for a Columbus woman accused of being under the influence of methamphetamine when she crashed her vehicle which resulted in the death of her 10-year-old daughter.
Six weeks after the Jan. 17 crash near Petersville, an arrest warrant was issued for Katelyn Mings, 29, of 3625 Nicholas Lane. Two felony counts were filed following a multi-agency investigation involving the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Police Department and Indiana State Police.
All charges were in connection with the fatal accident that claimed the life of Parkside Elementary School fourth grader Kayydence Mings.
Less than a week after her arrest, the Bartholomew County Prosecutor’s Office filed amended charges that left the defendant facing four felonies:
- Causing death when operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Level 4 felony
- Causing death when operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or II controlled substance in the blood, a Level 4 felony
- Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a passenger less than 18 years old, a Level 6 felony
- Operating a vehicle with a Schedule I or Schedule II controlled substance or its metabolite in the blood, a Level 6 felony
If convicted on all counts, Mings could receive up to 29 years in prison, as well as fines of up to $40,000.
During Friday’s pre-trial conference in Bartholomew Superior Court 2, Special Judge Kim Van Valer scheduled a pre-trial conference for Mings for 9 a.m. May 27. The tentative date for her jury trial is July 22 at 8:30 a.m.
For more on this story, see Saturday’s Republic.
