KNOXVILLE, Tennessee — A Knoxville woman was drunk and going the wrong way on Interstate 40 when she hit and killed a 56-year-old man on his way to work in May, newly filed charges allege.
Kara D. Wakefield, 31, was booked into the Knox County Jail on Sunday. Bond was set at $100,000, records show.
A grand jury returned the indictment Aug. 21, according to documents.
Wakefield is to be arraigned Wednesday in Knox County Criminal Court.
She's charged with vehicular homicide, reckless endangerment, driving under the influence, going the wrong way and failure to provide evidence of financial responsibility.
Wakefield also had been charged with DUI in Loudon County in a November 2018 case, according to records.
Darrell Guilliams was driving to work in West Knoxville early May 4 when Wakefield crashed into him, authorities allege. Wakefield was driving east in a Hyundai Elantra in a westbound lane of I-40 when she collided with Guilliams' Toyota Camry near the Liberty Street overpass, according to police.
By coincidence at least one co-worker of Guilliams also was on the highway at the time of the crash. Guilliams worked at Sitel in West Knoxville.
Guilliams died in the crash. Wakefield suffered serious injuries. A dog in her vehicle died.
Wakefield's blood-alcohol level was higher than .08 percent, charges state.
She put several others at risk of injury by her actions, the indictment states.
Guilliams' family members said they'd been waiting for months to see Wakefield charged in the crash.