Texting While Driving in Vehicular Homicide Case

(Scottsburg, Indiana) In January 2010, a 34-year-old woman, Jennifer P. Just, was arrested and charged for allegedly driving impaired and causing an accident which resulted in the deaths of 83-year-old James Jewell and his wife, 84-year-old Thelma ‘Jackie’ Jewell.

Police said Just was the driver of a red Ford Ranger pickup truck that rear ended the Jewell’s Toyota pickup truck on I-65 near the 32 mile marker shortly before 1 p.m. on December 13.

That initial impact caused the Jewell’s vehicle to cross the median and come into the path of a southbound 2005 Volvo semi tractor trailer, police reported. The Jewells died in the second crash with the semi.

Just was initially charged with multiple offenses, including vehicular homicide. Later, a charge of reckless homicide was added because evidence indicated that Just was texting while driving.

According to court papers, Jennifer P. Just was sending a lot of text messages and also making several calls from a cell phone right around the time police say she caused that crash. […]

The thing that makes Just's actions reckless, according to prosecutors, is the text messaging. We're told it's one of the first times that this kind of case is being made in Indiana.

Texting while driving is not illegal in Indiana but it apparently can contribute to a determination of recklessness.