An Ohio man has been arrested in connection with the death of a student following a fatal collision with a loose tire.
The incident occurred when a tire from the man's truck fell off and struck the student's vehicle.
Ricky A. Raider was indicted earlier this month by a grand jury for the fatal accident that claimed the life of University of Kentucky student Lauren Collins, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced on June 21.
Collins, a rising sophomore and fashion merchandising major, was driving southbound near the Ohio border when the runaway tire hit her car around 12:15AM on July 16, 2023.
Raider was traveling northbound when the tire allegedly broke off his truck, crossed the concrete barrier, and smashed into the windshield of Collins' white 2012 Buick LaCrosse.
First responders extricated Collins from her vehicle and rushed her to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
Despite their efforts, Collins, the lone occupant of her car, died at the hospital.
Six days after the fatal crash, Raider, 37, reported to the Independence Police Department, admitting that “he lost a tire on the interstate over the past weekend but didn’t believe his tire had hit anyone.”
Months later, Sgt. Jeff Nagy of the department’s Accident Reconstruction Unit obtained a recording of a phone call Raider had with a female inmate in the Bullitt County Detention Center, located 108 miles southwest of the Independence Police Department.
This call took place the night Collins was killed.
During the conversation, Raider allegedly admitted to driving northbound in his 1993 Ford F-250 when a tire came off his truck. Raider confessed to the caller that he saw the tire crash into Collins' car and “knew the collision likely resulted in someone being hurt or killed,” according to the sheriff’s office.
After witnessing the crash, Raider allegedly remounted the tire and fled the scene. “What he did was he stole lug nuts from other wheels to secure that tire just to get it up the road and off of the interstate,” Major Philip Ridgell with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office told WXIX.
Raider was arrested and charged with one count of leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid with death or serious physical injury, a Class D felony, and one count of persistent felony offender 1st offense.
He is currently held at Boone County Detention Center on a $40,000 cash bond.
Raider appeared in court on Wednesday, requesting a public defender. His next court appearance is scheduled for July 24.
