Mother may plead in vehicular homicide

By Holly Hollman
hhollman@decaturdaily.com · 340-2445

ATHENS — A school bus loaded with inmates delayed an expected plea from a mother charged with vehicular homicide for a crash that killed a 5-year-old girl.

Sheriff Mike Blakely borrowed the school bus from the Limestone County Board of
Education so his staff could haul inmates to court in one vehicle.

This is jury week, and District Attorney Kristi Valls is taking pleas before trials begin.

She said the mother charged with vehicular homicide, Ruth Ann Kyle of Pryor Street, Athens, is scheduled for court Tuesday.

"We had more than 30 inmates get bused up here for court, and we didn't get to her case (Monday)," Valls said.

In March 2007, a grand jury indicted Kyle for vehicular homicide in the death of Haley Stewart after a multi-car collision on Brownsferry Road in the Reid community.

The wreck occurred in March 2006.

According to court and trooper arrest reports, Kyle allegedly was speeding and passed another vehicle in a no-passing zone.

She allegedly hit two vehicles, lost control and hit a stand of trees.

The impact ejected Kyle's passengers, Haley and a 4-year-old boy, who survived.

Kyle underwent surgery at Huntsville Hospital for her injuries.

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