William “Trey” Arthur Jones III, the father of Iowa women’s basketball commit Ava Jones, died Thursday after being struck by a car in Louisville.
Jones III was 42.
The Jefferson County Coroner’s Office confirmed Jones’ death to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Trey Jones, his wife Amy, Ava and her younger brother were all struck by a car while they were walking in downtown Louisville on Tuesday night. They were visiting the city from Kansas for the Run 4 the Roses Classic AAU basketball tournament.
Amy and Ava Jones are listed in critical condition as of Friday, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
Ava Jones, a Nickerson High School basketball star, and her family were injured after a driver hit them in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday night. Her father, William “Trey” Arthur Jones III, died on Thursday from injuries sustained in the accident. Ava Jones/Instagram
Police officers investigate the scene on Second Street and East Market Street where a driver struck pedestrians in downtown Louisville on July 5, 2022. Joseph Cooke/The Courier-Journal /USA TODAY NETWORK
Ava Jones (c), a Nickerson High School basketball star, and her family were injured after a driver hit them in Louisville, Kentucky, on Tuesday night. sportsinkansas/Facebook
Nickerson’s Ava Jones (35) drives past Andale’s Kayla Seiler (30) during their game Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Sandra J. Milburn/The Hutchinson News/USA TODAY NETWORK“Ava is stable but critical,” Mary Jones, the mother of Trey, told the Hutchinson News in Kansas. “Amy is stable but critical, too, but Amy’s got a lot of things going. They’re both still on a [ventilator]. They’re trying to get Ava off, but it’s a process. Just slow going.”
Ava Jones is the 83rd-ranked women’s basketball recruit in the class of 2023 by ESPNW. She averaged 20.8 points and 15.4 rebounds per game as a junior at Nickerson High School, about 60 miles outside of Wichita.
Jones had just committed to Iowa on July 3.
The Courier-Journal reported that 33-year-old Michael Hurley, from Indiana, has been arrested in connection with the incident. He has been charged with one count of murder, driving under the influence and four counts of first-degree assault. He has also been charged with a license possession violation.
Hurley, who pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to his earlier charges prior to Trey Jones’ death, was making a left turn when he struck the Jones family. Alcohol was not cited as a reason for the fatal crash, but he allegedly told police that he had ingested the opioid Hydrocodone and was “so tired that he could not make the turn.” Ava Jones’ brother suffered minor injuries, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
A Go Fund Me account has been set up to help the family.
