An animal darted into the path of a black Honda Civic just after midnight on October 11, 2026. That split-second choice set off a crash that killed passenger Hope Justice Jones, 20, of Kokomo.
The car was traveling south on County Road 1350 East, north of County Road 500 North in Howard County. Driver Morgan Killebrew, 21, said the animal forced him to react. The passenger-side tires dropped off the pavement and he lost control.
The vehicle crossed a grassy ditch. It slammed into a utility pole at the rear passenger side where Hope sat. After that it struck a telephone utility box and came to rest in a field.
Hope was ejected. Responders worked on her right away and called for a helicopter. She died at the scene before it could take her anywhere.
Deputies from the Howard County Sheriff’s Office found the car in the field around 12:30 a.m. Killebrew stayed and answered questions. His preliminary breath test read 0.00. Blood was drawn later at the hospital. Results are not back yet.
Investigators are still piecing together the full picture. The Howard County Coroner’s Office will release the cause and manner of death when ready.
This kind of late-night animal encounter happens more in fall. One young life from Kokomo ended because of it on that stretch of county road.
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