A La Grange man accused of fatally striking a 75-year-old woman with his truck and fleeing the scene nearly two years ago is now out of jail after his father posted a $1.5 million bond. Jason Cornett, 55, faces murder and related charges in the November 2024 death of Margaret Preble, who was found bloody and face down in the grass along U.S. 42.
Cornett's father, Ben Cornett, appeared at the Oldham County Judicial Center on Wednesday with a cashier's check to post the bond, according to WHAS11. He was told to return the following morning to make sure the check was safely deposited, the station reported. As a condition of release, Jason Cornett is required to stay outside Oldham County except for court appearances, random drug and alcohol screenings, and meetings with his attorney.
Preble, of La Grange, died after being hit on U.S. 42 on Nov. 11, 2024. According to WLKY, police say Cornett struck her with his truck and left the scene; she was found bloody and face down in a grassy area off the side of the road.
How Investigators Traced the Truck to Corbin
Investigators identified the vehicle involved as a black 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 pickup registered to Cornett. The truck turned up two days later at an auto repair shop in Corbin, located with help from Kentucky State Police London detectives — the same timeline WAVE3 laid out when it reported the Silverado was found Nov. 13 at the repair facility. Detectives determined the truck matched evidence found at the collision scene, and the station's report notes that a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 owned by Cornett was the vehicle that struck Preble.
Detectives also found evidence that Cornett had consumed several alcoholic beverages shortly before driving and that he was behind the wheel during the fatal collision, according to an Oldham County Police Department news release. Investigators further determined that Cornett attempted to conceal evidence of his involvement, per the department, after he drove the damaged truck out of Oldham County to the Corbin repair shop the day after the crash.
Charges Against Cornett and His Girlfriend
Cornett is charged with murder, leaving the scene of an accident and failure to render aid, tampering with physical evidence, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Prosecutors allege he was drunk at the time and that he and his 23-year-old girlfriend tried to cover up the crime, WLKY reported. Police said the girlfriend, Zoe Wolfe, drove the truck out of Oldham County the day after the crash and has been charged with tampering with physical evidence.
Cornett was arrested following a traffic stop near La Grange on Jan. 15, 2025, and booked into the Oldham County Detention Center, where his initial bond was set at $500,000 cash, per WAVE3. The Oldham Era reported that his bail for the circuit court charges was later set at $1.5 million in addition to the original $500,000 district court bail, while WLKY reported his bond was set at $1.5 million and that his full bond was posted by his father. Jason Cornett is due back in Oldham County Circuit Court on Nov. 5.
