Coroner identifies 31-year-old man killed on Preston Hwy. in Louisville, woman charged

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A woman was charged with manslaughter after allegedly hitting a man while he attempted to cross Preston Highway in December.

According to court records, Pamela Speer, 60, of Louisville was charged with manslaughter and disregarding a compulsory turn lane.

Aaron Ellis, a spokesperson for Louisville Metro Police, said on Dec. 22 that officers responded to a crash involving a pedestrian in the 7300 block of Preston Highway near Minor Lane around 5:15 p.m.

Police said at the time that two men were attempting to cross a dark section of Preston Highway; they made it to the center median, which is a turning lane.

One of the men then stepped back into the roadway and was hit by a vehicle that was headed southbound on Preston Highway in the left lane.

Pamela Kaye Speer - Metro Corrections.jpg — Pamela Speer was charged with manslaughter and disregarding a compulsory turn lane for allegedly hitting and killing a man as he attempted to cross Preston Highway on Dec. 22, 2025. *(Louisville Metro Department of Corrections)*

The driver stopped, called authorities and stayed on scene. Police said the man was taken to UofL Health Hospital where he died. The Jefferson County coroner identified the man on Thursday as Isaac Barkley, 31, of Louisville.

The other man was not injured.

Police had initially said there were no charges planned, but investigators said in the citation said that surveillance video showed that Speer was driving in the turn lane at a high rate of speed while traffic in the driving lanes was at a stop.

Speer pleaded not guilty Thursday, and posted a $5,000 bond. She is due back in court on Jan. 16.

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