Driver charged in Floyd County wrong-way crash that killed 3 pleads not guilty

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The driver accused of killing three people in a wrong-way crash in southern Indiana has pleaded not guilty.

Indiana State Police say Taylor Barefoot, 31, was driving on Interstate 265 in Floyd County just after 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 7 when she slammed head-on into another vehicle.

Taylor Cole, 21, her 3-year-old son and a passenger, Leah Onstott, 22, were killed in the crash. Onstott's 3-year-old son was also in the vehicle at the time of the crash. He was taken to Norton Children's Hospital but his condition has not been released.

Taylor Cole and Leah Onstott Floyd County wrong-way triple fatal victims.jpg — Taylor Cole and Leah Onstott were killed in a March 7, 2020 crash when Taylor Barefoot lammed head-on into another vehicle.

Police believe alcohol played a factor in the crash. A lawsuit filed by Cole's family earlier this month claims Barefoot left a work party for Sazerac where she had been drinking before getting behind the wheel.

According to the complaint, Barefoot was a recruiter for Sazerac and attending the liquor brand's Northwest Ordinance distilling Mardi Gras party shortly before the crash.

"Even though several Sazerac agents and employees witnessed Barefoot in her intoxicated state and knew or should have known of Barefoot’s intoxicated condition, these Sazerac agents and employees allowed Barefoot to drive away intoxicated in her personal car," the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit says she left the party about 9 p.m. and fourteen minutes later, the frantic calls started coming into 911.

She was charged with six counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, causing death, and one count of involuntary manslaughter because one of the victims of the crash was pregnant.

Barefoot pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday morning. She was released on bond after 10% of her $500,000 bond was posted. She is due back in court in May for a pretrial conference.

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