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Ashley Rae Jones of Cumberland County Indicted for Criminally Negligent Homicide in Loudon County Crash

By Ronni Chase May 24, 2026 | 10:50 AM

Ninth District Attorney General Russell Johnson reports that 32-year-old Ashley Rae Jones, of Cumberland County, has been indicted by the Loudon County Grand Jury for the criminally negligent homicide of a 17-year-old male from Lenoir City, along with other traffic violations.  The wreck occurred eastbound on I-40 a short distance after passing over Hwy 95 at the Lenoir City/Melton Hill exit. According to a press release by DAG Johnson, ”there was road maintenance ongoing on the right shoulder of the interstate which had caused traffic to come to a complete stop. It is alleged that Jones, due to Jones’ inattention when she reached down to retrieve a vape pen and, while doing so, failed to brake her vehicle before slamming her Mercedes SUV into the back of a Geo Tracker driven by the juvenile who was the sole occupant of his vehicle. The impact of the rear-end collision pushed his vehicle into the rear of the trailer of a commercial motor vehicle, killing the juvenile almost instantly. Jones was unhurt.”  Her case is set for arraignment on Friday, May 29th in Loudon County.