The Boyle County man involved in a crash that killed a Garrard County woman in September was indicted by a Boyle County Grand Jury on Thursday.

Joseph Kelly, 42, of 202 Althea Drive, Danville, was indicted on charges of manslaughter in the second degree and first-degree wanton endangerment. According to court records, Kelly is accused of “wantonly causing the death of Linda Gill by operation of a motor vehicle” and operating a motor vehicle “in such a way that it created substantial danger of death or serious physical injury to Alma Steinhauer.”

Both are felony charges.

When Kelly’s charges were publicized on the Danville Police Department’s Facebook page, many commenters questioned the charge of manslaughter. Boyle County Attorney Lynne Dean explained in an archived article of The Advocate-Messenger to charge someone with murder under KRS 507.020 requires proving intent or that the person  exhibited “wanton conduct manifesting extreme indifference to human life.” Instead, she said, Kelly’s situation “clearly fits the manslaughter statute,” which is KRS 507.040.

Kelly also faces a charge of driving under the influence, his second offense, for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or other substances, a class B misdemeanor.

Kelly’s charges stem from a Sept. 27 crash on Perryville Road. According to Danville Police, Kelly was traveling westbound near the Boyle County High School when his vehicle crossed the center line and struck a truck, driven by Gill, 63 of Lancaster.

Gill was killed instantly. Steinhauer, 46 of California, Kentucky, was treated for injuries. 

Kelly was transported to the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center for treatment.

According to files in the Boyle County Circuit Clerk’s Office, police found “open alcoholic beverage containers in the vehicle along with (an) empty needle in the passenger side floor board.”

A bond has been set for $500,000.

Kelly remains lodged in the Boyle County Detention Center.