A man from Kentucky is now facing prison time after a decision he made on a summer night ended in the death of a child who trusted him.
According to the Kentucky State Police, Darius Wade, then 31, got behind the wheel of a moped on Aug. 4, 2024, while intoxicated. Riding along with him was his girlfriend’s 10-year-old daughter, whose identity has not been released by authorities. The pair were traveling north on Interstate 75 in Whitley County, a highway stretch that connects Tennessee to Ohio.
Around the same time, a 43-year-old driver from Indiana was heading north in an SUV. At some point along the route, the vehicle collided with the moped.
When troopers arrived at the scene close to 11:20 p.m., both Wade and the child were rushed to a nearby hospital before being airlifted for further treatment. The child did not survive her injuries. Wade was taken into custody and later photographed in a mugshot wearing a neck brace from the crash.
He was initially charged with murder and driving under the influence. This week, however, he entered a guilty plea to lesser charges — second-degree manslaughter and first-degree wanton endangerment. He is set to be sentenced on Sept. 21.
The child’s mother, identified as Danisha Martin, was also charged in connection with the case. She was convicted of complicity to reckless homicide and sentenced to 10 years, though she will serve a minimum of two years before five years of supervised probation. Investigators say Martin was aware Wade struggled with alcohol but let her daughter ride with him anyway, believing he wasn’t drunk at the time.
Authorities also noted that Wade did not hold a valid license to operate the moped and was additionally cited for violations tied to unauthorized off-highway vehicle use.