MUNCIE, Ind. — A woman charged with fleeing police, then causing a deadly crash in downtown Muncie made her first court appearance Monday afternoon. A passenger in another car died and the pregnant driver suffered serious injuries.
Olivia Larue, 40, was allegedly driving an SUV on Jan. 23, 2024 that fled police, ran a red light at Mulberry and Main streets, and crashed into a car. The Acura flipped onto its top. The passenger in the car, 30-year-old Javonta Jones, died. His sister, 27-year-old Acacia Hammond, who was driving, suffered serious injuries and lost her 16-week pregnancy.
After a six-month state police investigation, Larue now faces 14 charges, including:
- Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Death, a Level 3 Felony.
- Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated Resulting in Death, a Level 4 Felony
- Driving While Suspended Resulting in Death, a Level 5 Felony
- Operating a Motor Vehicle Causing Serious Bodily Injury, a Level 5 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement Resulting in Seriously Bodily Injury, a Level 5 Felony
- Driving While Suspended, Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, a Level 6 Felony
- Involuntary Manslaughter, a Level 5 Felony
- Resisting Law Enforcement, a Level 6 Felony
- Unlawful carrying of a Handgun, a Level 5 Felony
- Possession of a Controlled Substance, a Level 6 Felony
- Criminal Recklessness, a Level 5 Felony
- Aggressive Driving, a Class A Misdemeanor
- Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device, a Class A Infraction
- Reckless Driving, a Class A Misdemeanor.
Police say they tried to pull over Larue on an arrest warrant for dealing drugs when she led them on about a two-mile chase. The prosecutor determined police did nothing criminal in their pursuit.
Delaware Circuit Court Judge Douglas Mawhorr set bail in the case at $70,000 cash. Larue has been held in the Delaware County Jail since the crash in January. She'll stay there due to a no-bond hold in two other pending drug cases in Delaware County.
All three cases are now combined on the court calendar, with a jury trial scheduled for Jan. 26, 2025. Larue asked for a public defender which will be assigned.