Driver charged in fatal November Shelby County crash

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 3:47 PM

The Indianapolis woman that caused a four-car automobile collision in November that left a Fairland boy dead has been arrested.

Khristal Grant (photo) was charged May 9 with two counts of operating a vehicle while under the influence of a substance and causing death, a Level 4 felony.

Grant, age 43, was taken into custody May 28.

If convicted, Grant could be sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Grant was driving a Chevy Tahoe at a high rate of speed eastbound on State Road 44 just after 6 p.m. on Nov. 9.

Witnesses passed by Grant’s vehicle described seeing her applying makeup while looking into a mirror. Grant had little time to react while coming up on a Ford Explorer, driven by Robert Malone, of Shelbyville, which was stopped to turn north onto County Road 600 East. Also in Malone’s vehicle were Triton Central Elementary School student James Hodges (photo), age 6, and his grandmother Melanie Pryor.

It was determined Grant’s Tahoe was traveling close to 70 miles per hour just before the collision with the Explorer. The brakes were not applied until just before the crash.

Grant admitted she was headed to work in Connersville.

Blood work indicated Grant had methamphetamine in her system.

The collision forced the Explorer into westbound traffic where it was struck by another vehicle.

Grant’s Tahoe was then struck by a jeep.

Hodges, the son of Chris Hodges and Kyndra Phelps, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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