INDEPENDENCE, KY – Ohio resident Ricky A. Raider, 37, is standing trial following a fatal incident where a tire from his vehicle allegedly caused the death of a University of Kentucky student. Law enforcement now questions Raider’s initial declaration of ignorance about the event’s deadly consequences.
The accident, which claimed the life of 18-year-old Lauren Collins, occurred when a tire came loose from Raider’s truck, a 199 Wolfgang F-250, and flew across a concrete barrier on I-75. Collins, a sophomore studying fashion merchandising, suffered fatal injuries when the tire crashed through her windshield around midnight on July 16, 2023.
Puzzling details emerged nearly a week after the accident when Raider approached the Independence Police Department on July 6. He claimed to have lost a tire on the interstate the previous weekend, asserting his unawareness of any injuries or damage caused. However, his narrative took a turn upon the discovery of a phone call by Sgt. Jeff Nagy of the Independence Police Department’s Accident Reconstruction Unit. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office released details in a June 21 press statement, revealing the conversation’s contents.
The call occurred the night of Collins’ death and involved Raider speaking to a female inmate at the Bullitt County Detention Center, roughly 100 miles from Independence. According to police, Raider admitted to observing the tire strike Collins’ car, being aware that the collision likely caused severe injuries or death, and quickly concealing the evidence by reattaching the tire to his vehicle with stolen lug nuts from other wheels before fleeing.
Subsequently, Raider was indicted on June 4 on charges of leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid with death or serious physical injury, and for being a persistent felony offender on his first offense. Raider, who was booked into Boone County Jail on June 12, remains incarcerated with a bond set at $40,000, per online jail records. At a court appearance on Wednesday, required public defense representation was sought, with his next court appointment slated for July 24. As the investigation continues, questions arise regarding the choices made in the aftermath of the tragic accident.
