A man who was involved in a collision that caused the death of a woman in August 2016 was arrested by the Nicholasville Police Department on Wednesday, Feb. 22.

James Kouns, 34, of Nicholasville, was indicted by the Jessamine County Grand Jury on Feb. 22. He was charged with murder, three counts of wanton endangerment, first degree and persistent felony offender, second degree.

Originally, the charge was presented as manslaughter but the jury bumped it up to murder.

“Based on the fact that he was impaired, it changes the entire game,” Officer Kevin Grimes with the Nicholasville Police Department said.

The charges arose from a fatal traffic collision on South Main Street in Nicholasville that resulted in the death of Amber Parker, 30, a passenger in the pickup truck that was struck by Kouns’s SUV after it swerved into the wrong lane. 

A detailed investigation revealed that Kouns was impaired at the time of the traffic collision, according to a press release from the Nicholasville Police Department. Kouns was arrested without incident on Wednesday.

Kouns will appear in front of the Jessamine County Circuit Court to be arraigned and formally charged on Friday, March 24.

“I expect it will be months before we really know and get resolution,” Grimes said.