Iowa women’s basketball: Man found guilty in crash that injured Ava Jones, killed father

Posted by Admin October 15, 2024 Basketball

An Indiana man was found guilty of murder and driving under the influence in the crash that killed the father of then-Iowa women’s basketball recruit Ava Jones.

Michael Hurley was also found guilty of three counts of assault during the five-day trial held in Jefferson County, Kentucky. The jury recommended a 75-year prison sentence for Hurley on Tuesday morning, KCRG reports. He will be sentenced in December.

The Jones family was in Louisville for an AAU basketball tournament in July 2022. Ava Jones was ranked as the 83rd-best women’s basketball recruit in the Class of 2023 and announced her commitment to the Hawkeyes just days before the crash.

Hurley allegedly told officers after the collision he was “so tired he couldn’t make the turn.” Prosecutors alleged he was high on fentanyl at the time of the crash.

Forensic pathologist Gregory Davis testified at trial that he believed Hurley was under the influence because if he were only tired, the rush of adrenaline from the “horrific or scary” events of that evening would have awoken him at the scene afterward, KSN reports.

Trey Jones, a Kansas woodworking teacher and track and field coach, died a few days after the crash.

Crash left lasting mark on the Jones family

At trial, Ava and her mother Amy Jones testified about the lasting impact that the crash has had on their lives more than two years later.

Graphic video from near the site of the crash was shown at trial. A vehicle is seen traveling quickly through the downtown Louisville intersection, veering into the oncoming lanes and striking the Jones family as they stood at the crosswalk.

Ava Jones, then a highly touted Iowa women’s basketball recruit, suffered a traumatic brain injury and multiple torn ligaments in both knees as a result of the crash. She testified on Thursday that her hand-eye coordination is “not good.”

“I can’t walk that far,” Ava Jones testified. “I can’t run. I have trouble lifting weights.”

Ava Jones also testified that the crash has continued to affect her cognitive abilities.

“I sit in the front row of every class and make sure I’m talking to the professor and what they’re talking about, and I step outside of class and don’t remember what we were talking about or what’s going to be on the exam. No idea. No recollection,” Jones testified in a video shared by KSN.

Her mother, Amy Jones, was brought to tears during an emotional testimony on Friday.

“She had everything,” Amy Jones said in a video shared by Louisville station WLKY. “She could have done whatever she wanted and been whoever she wanted to be and now, I just don’t know.”

From June: Ava Jones will medically retire from Iowa women’s basketball

Ava medically retired from basketball in June

Ava Jones announced her medical retirement from basketball in June, ending any hopes for a miraculous return to basketball after the numerous physical injuries sustained during the crash.

“My coaches, doctors, teammates and trainers have been amazing since the accident,” Jones said in a statement. “While I will no longer be a member of the women’s basketball program, I will still be on scholarship, receive a world-class education and forever be a Hawkeye. I’d like to thank my family for the never-ending support, and I am excited for the next chapter in my life.”

Jones started a YouTube channel in January to document her recovery. She has garnered more than 2,500 subscribers since, talking about everything from her travels to her surgeries, recovery process and return to running.

“We wish Ava the best on the road to recovery and fully support the decision she made to step away from the game,” Iowa coach Jan Jensen said in a school release. “She worked tirelessly to get to this point, but she made the best decision for herself and her well-being.”

More: Iowa women’s basketball: Associated Press poll released; see if Hawkeyes made the cut

Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.