A Trussville man accused of driving drunk and running a stop sign before a Tesla crash that killed two passengers had a blood alcohol concentration of .197 — more than twice the legal limit — according to testimony presented at a preliminary hearing. Miles Jordan Kemp, 26, now faces two counts of reckless manslaughter and one count of first-degree assault after the July 25 wreck in Mountain Brook.
Prosecutors Detail Speed, Alcohol and a Blown Stop Sign
According to testimony reported by al.com, prosecutors allege Kemp was traveling 57 mph in a 25-mph zone on Southwood Road when the crash occurred at 5:15 a.m. Data and video obtained from the Tesla allegedly showed Kemp ran a stop sign shortly before the wreck, and the vehicle crossed into the opposite lane before leaving the road entirely.
Mountain Brook police Det. Sgt. Jeffrey Boshart was the only witness called during Monday's preliminary hearing before Jefferson County District Judge William Bell, the outlet reported. Bell ultimately ruled there was enough evidence to send the case to a grand jury for indictment consideration.
A Night That Started at a Nightclub
Per Boshart's testimony, passenger Faith Isbell told investigators the group met at El Sol nightclub on Valley Avenue before leaving in Kemp's Tesla. The group then stopped at a nearby gas station to buy alcoholic drinks, got food at Cook Out, and later drank while the Tesla charged at a charging station, according to the same testimony reported by the outlet.
Kemp had a long-term rental lease on the Tesla and worked as an Uber driver, the report notes. He suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash and was taken to UAB Hospital; Cullers and Isbell were also taken there.
Two Lives Lost, a Third Passenger Badly Hurt
Jacob Deshaan Thompson, 24, of Moody, was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:55 a.m., according to al.com's account — though a separate report from ABC 33/40 listed Thompson's age as 25. Ashleigh Belinda Cullers, 20, of Pell City, was also taken to UAB Hospital and died days later; al.com reported she died four days after the crash, while WBRC reported she died around 1 a.m. on July 28.
Faith Isbell, the third passenger, sustained a broken neck and was also taken to UAB Hospital, per the original account. The crash left one passenger dead at the scene, a second dead from her injuries days later, and a third seriously hurt.
License Suspended Over Defense Objection
Judge Bell suspended Kemp's driver's license at Monday's hearing, a move Kemp's attorney, Emory Anthony, opposed, according to the report. Despite the ruling sending his case toward a grand jury, Kemp remains out of jail on $30,000 bond.
The case now awaits grand jury review, where jurors may consider what charges, if any, to return.
