Court docs: Indy woman on meth, applying makeup when she caused crash that killed young boy

SHELBY COUNTY, Ind. - Court records reveal an Indianapolis woman was driving nearly 70 mph, and allegedly applying makeup while looking in her vanity mirror, when she collided into the back of a vehicle waiting to turn left.




A 6-year-old boy died as a result of the multiple-vehicle crash that followed the initial collision. A blood test also allegedly revealed the at-fault driver had meth in her system.




Khristal Grant, 43, was officially charged on May 9 with two counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence of a substance and causing death, a Level 4 felony. A warrant was issued the same day her charges were filed, but she wasn't taken into custody until May 28, according to court records.

Previous stories detail the crash that claimed the life of 6-year-old James Donovan Hodges. The crash occurred on Nov. 9, 2024, at the intersection of 600 East and State Road 44 in Shelby County.




Hodges was a passenger in a black Ford Explorer that was waiting to turn left off of State Road 44 and onto 600 East.

According to court documents, a witness told police that a Chevy Tahoe - later determined to be driven by Grant - was driving behind them on State Road 44 at a high rate of speed and appeared to be "all over the roadway."




Tahoe passed the witness's vehicle with both occupants glancing at the SUV as it went by. Both witnesses claimed to see a woman - alleged to be Grant - applying makeup while looking into her vanity mirror as she flew by so fast it was as if the witness vehicle "was standing still."




It was just after this when the witnesses watched the Tahoe slam into the back of the black Ford Explorer that was waiting to turn left.




The impact from the collision caused the Explorer to spin out into the path of a westbound traveling minivan, which struck the Explorer. Grant's Tahoe, meanwhile, went into the eastbound lane and was struck by a red Jeep. Several drivers and passengers were transported to area hospitals as a result of the four-vehicle crash.




Unfortunately, young James Donovan Hodges was pronounced dead on scene.




"No mother should ever have to be the one to bury their own baby, especially their youngest," Hodges' mother previously told FOX59/CBS4.




Court documents reveal that when police officers spoke to Grant after the crash, she allegedly admitted to using meth and smoking marijuana "within the past few days" but claimed she'd not used any that day. Grant told officers she had been on her way to work in Connersville and denied accounts of not paying attention to the roadway while driving.




Data mined from her Tahoe showed the vehicle was traveling nearly 70 mph just 2.5 seconds prior to the collision. She didn't brake until a half second before the crash with the impact speed estimated to be between 50 and 63 mph.




The meth in her system was determined to be >500 ng/mL, according to court documents. A forensic toxicologist concluded Grant's driving behavior "was consistent with impairment from methamphetamine."




If convicted, Grant could face up to 12 years in prison on a Level 4 felony.




In the aftermath of the deadly crash, an outpouring of support from the community raised more than $13,000 for the mother of James Donovan Hodges.




"That has shown me that my son has reached out and touched many people just with a smile on his face."

via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/court-docs-indy-woman-on-meth-applying-makeup-when-she-caused-crash-that-killed-young-boy/