Teacher struck by alleged impaired driver in stable condition

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Natalie Rae Miller
Nicole Keith-Morrison Courtesy Greater Clark County Schools

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April 4, 2012

Teacher struck by alleged impaired driver in stable condition

Driver of car arrested

By TARA SCHMELZ tara.schmelz@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Wed Apr 04, 2012, 10:16 PM EDT

CHARLESTOWN — A Charlestown High School teacher is in stable condition after being hit by a car Tuesday evening.

Charlestown Police Department Maj. Jason Broady said 30-year-old Nicole Keith-Morrison was walking with a friend off Park Street near the high school just before 7 p.m. when she was hit by a car, driven by 30-year-old Natalie Rae Miller, who had her 7-year-old son in the car.

Keith-Morrison suffered multiple injuries, including a fractured skull, brain bleeding and neck and vertebrae injuries, said Greater Clark County Schools Corp. Supervisor of Communications Erin Bojorquez. Keith-Morrison was flown to University of Louisville Hospital, where she had surgery for the skull and brain injuries. Bojorquez said hospital surgeons are optimistic that, with time, Keith-Morrison will have a full recovery.

Keith-Morrison’s friend suffered minor injuries, Bojorquez said.

According to the probable cause affidavit, Miller, who lives in Charlestown, told police she was on prescription Lortab pills, a pain-killer, and had smoked marijuana earlier in the morning. She initially told police she did not see the pedestrians. Later, she said she had not been paying attention to the road.

Miller was arrested and preliminarily charged with operating while intoxicated, a class C misdemeanor, operating while intoxicated with a minor passenger, a class D felony, and operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, a class D felony. More charges are anticipated to be filed against Miller, according to a press release from Charlestown police.

If convicted on the preliminary charges, Miller could face six months to three years for each D felony charge and up to 60 days for the misdemeanor charge.

The full toxicology report on Miller is pending. However, according to the affidavit, Miller tested positive for THC, a chemical found in marijuana.

Miller is being held in the Clark County Jail on a $10,000 cash-only bond.

Keith-Morrison has taught with GCCS for seven years and has recently been teaching 12th grade government, economics and advanced placement courses. She also serves as the social studies chairperson, Bojorquez said.

Miller and her son were not injured in the accident.