Kentucky saw a heartbreaking end to a police chase this past Saturday night, with two young friends and a man found dead inside a car. According to Daily Mail, Jedance Hale (18), Lila Asher (19), and James Priddy (21) were discovered deceased in Priddy’s red Chevrolet Cobalt following a pursuit in Laurel County that concluded around 10:45 PM.
According to the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office, Priddy tragically shot both Hale and Asher before turning the gun on himself. This devastating outcome occurred after Priddy allegedly kidnapped the two young women, forcing them into his car. The police had been alerted to a potential kidnapping by concerned parents after the trio left a residence in Barbourville, initially stating they were going to “go get something to eat.”
Earlier that very day, Lila Asher had accompanied her best friend, Jedance Hale, to provide moral support. In my opinion, their mission was for Hale to break up with Priddy, a situation that many of us can relate to needing a friend for. Hale was trying to move on, and her friend was there for her every step of the way.
A mother’s frantic emergency call alerted police to the high-speed pursuit
Hale’s mother was understandably frantic once she realized her daughter was in danger. She made a desperate 911 call, explaining the dire situation. Audio obtained by a local news outlet captured her saying, “She tells me that they got proof that this female has been trying to leave him all day. Trying to get her. This male has took off with her.”
When law enforcement eventually located Priddy, he “failed to stop,” which then initiated the police pursuit. The chase ultimately ended in the tragic discovery of all three individuals inside the vehicle. For first responders, this must have been incredibly tough to witness. The community in Knox County, along with the first responders involved, have been left in shock by these tragic events.
This devastating outcome follows a dark trend seen in other domestic calls that triggered high-speed police pursuits ending in a fatal crash. Mackenzie Watts, a friend of both Jedance and Lila, spoke about the impact, saying, “They’re really torn up as well to hear about the passing, about the girls. They’re just in shock as much as their families and their friends and everybody.”
Laurel County Sheriff’s Office Public Affairs Deputy Gilbert Acciardo also commented on the profound grief, stating, “I can’t imagine the grief they’re feeling from something like this. It’s just unimaginable. But then we had the first responders too that saw what they saw during their investigation. And it was a tough one for us.”
Meanwhile, Priddy’s family has shared their own perspective in a GoFundMe campaign set up by Sandy Rice. They described the 21-year-old as a “loving son, brother, uncle and a good kid.” The GoFundMe also stated, “He brought so much joy to our lives and to those around him. He was the kind of person who would go out of his way to help others, and his smile could light up a room. Our family is struggling to cope with this loss, and we want to honor his memory in the best way we can.”
Published: Jun 10, 2026 02:00 pm