Corbin Police have made an arrest in the case of a fatal hit-and-run incident on U.S. 25E early Wednesday morning.
Captain Coy Wilson, the department’s public affairs officer, said Major Rob Jones arrested the 46-year-old John Melton at Corbin Manor Apartments in north Corbin Thursday afternoon. Melton is being charged with second-degree manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident with death or serious physical injury and failing to render aid.
“We received a tip about it,” Wilson said of how they identified the suspect. “We got a call about a truck matching the description of the one involved in the accident. We got over there and it matched.”
Wilson said Police have impounded the truck, a maroon Ford Ranger, that the suspect was allegedly driving when the collision occurred.
Wilson said previously that the victim, identified as 62-year-old Roscoe Jones, was walking along the roadway near the Corbin Station shopping center when he was struck.
Police say Melton was aware he had struck something, but did not stop to determine what it was.
“He just said he thought he hit something in the road, but he didn’t think it was someone.” Wilson said. “He did not stop.”
Authorities believe the incident happened at about 2:11 a.m. Wednesday morning. Wilson said he hadn’t yet done a detailed search of Melton’s criminal history, but was able to determine from his driving record that he has been convicted of “at least two DUIs” in the past.
Jones was taken by ambulance to the helipad at the Knox County Annex building and then airlifted to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he later died.
Melton is being held in the Knox County Detention Center on a $50,000 cash bond.
Melton is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday in Knox District Court.
Under Kentucky law, second-degree manslaughter is a Class “C” felony, carrying a potential sentence of five to ten years in prison.
