Julie Willis, 52, allegedly struck an 18-year-old teenager on a motorized pocket bike in Louisville, Kentucky, then drove away without rendering aid — later telling investigators she fled "because she was scared," according to charging documents.
Background
Kingston Maestas had just finished his shift at 7 Brew, a drive-thru coffee shop in Louisville, when he began riding his motorized bike home shortly after midnight. According to a GoFundMe fundraiser organized by his family, the teen "works his butt off" and had saved money to purchase the vehicle himself.
At approximately midnight, authorities say Willis was driving a 2017 Jeep Renegade registered to her boyfriend when she collided with Maestas at the intersection of Dixie Highway and Valley Station Road. The impact left the teenager severely injured on the roadway as she allegedly drove off without stopping.
"They left his shoes at the scene which was the only reason we (parents) were able to identify him from the crash site," according to the fundraiser, which also noted that Maestas's bike was stolen from the roadside along with his phone after he was abandoned.
The Investigation
Louisville Metro Police Department investigators say they identified Willis as a suspect five days after the collision. A witness reportedly told authorities that Willis returned home shortly after the crash and disclosed she had been involved in an accident with what she described as a "motorcycle."
"She said she left because she was scared," according to police accounts of the witness statement.
Investigators allege Willis then moved the Jeep from her residence and contacted law enforcement to file a false report claiming the vehicle had been stolen. Police believe this was an attempt to create the appearance that someone else had been driving when the collision occurred. Officers recovered the Jeep three days after receiving the fraudulent theft report.
"They left him laying in the road," the GoFundMe page states, describing Maestas as a "hard working young man."
The Charges
Willis was booked into the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections facing multiple charges: leaving the scene or failing to render aid in an accident involving death or serious physical injury, tampering with physical evidence, falsely reporting an incident to law enforcement, speeding 20 miles per hour over the limit, fraudulent insurance acts, and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.
Maestas sustained life-threatening injuries including a collapsed lung, torn spleen, and damaged arteries. He required intensive care unit treatment before being released from the hospital, according to the fundraiser.
Key Takeaways
- Kingston Maestas, 18, was struck while riding his motorized pocket bike home from work at approximately midnight in Louisville
- Julie Willis, 52, allegedly hit him with her 2017 Jeep Renegade and fled without assisting or calling authorities
- Investigators say she later filed a false police report claiming her vehicle was stolen to obscure her involvement
- The teen suffered severe injuries including a collapsed lung, torn spleen, and damaged arteries; he has since been released from the hospital
- Willis faces charges including leaving the scene of an accident involving serious injury and falsely reporting a stolen vehicle
What's Next
Willis was scheduled for arraignment on Thursday morning following her arrest. The case is being prosecuted through the Jefferson County Attorney's Office, and further court proceedings will determine whether the evidence supports the charges filed by Louisville Metro Police Department investigators.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to build their case regarding the circumstances of the collision and Willis's alleged attempts to cover up her involvement.