Martinsville man sentenced to 12 years after leaving scene of crash killing 11-year-old

INDIANAPOLIS — A Martinsville man will spend the next 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges stemming from a hit-and-run that killed 11-year-old Kyson Beatty.

John Killough Jr. pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, resulting in death or catastrophic injury.

As part of the guilty plea, charges of operating as a habitual offender causing death and operating without a license for life were dropped.

Through an investigation, IMPD learned there was a passenger in the vehicle at the time of the deadly accident.

The passenger explained to police that as Killough was driving on South Tibbs Avenue, he "swerved hard to the right" and heard a thump, but didn't know what it was, according to the affidavit.

"Aw f**k.. I think I hit somebody!" Killough said.

Beatty was riding a blue 80cc Yamaha motorcycle in the area when he ran into the side of an unknown vehicle, according to the affidavit. The 11-year-old suffered a "grave head injury" from the collision and died at the scene.

The passenger in Killough's vehicle told detectives when he asked Killough why he was driving away, Killough said he couldn't be caught driving the truck, quickly changed gears and sped away, according to the affidavit.

Several other witnesses who spoke to police also identified a "rollback tow truck" in the area where Beatty was killed around the time of the accident, according to the affidavit. Some told detectives they saw the rollback "swerve" as if it was trying to avoid hitting something.

Family and friends of Kyson, a sixth-grader, described him as "a young man who lived a very, very bright life," "motivating" and a mama's boy who loved his sisters and friends a lot.