Adair County 6th-grader killed in crash, 3rd student lost this year to drunk driving

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A middle school student in Adair County died in a crash involving a drunk driver, according to the Kentucky school district.

Adair County Public Schools said David King, a sixth-grader at Adair County Middle School, died Sunday, nearly two weeks after the crash April 21.

The boy had been in a coma, and, on Sunday night, his mother decided to make the difficult decision.

"From what we've been told from the mother, he was pronounced brain dead," Adair County Public Schools Superintendent Jason Faulkner said Monday. "Last Wednesday, they made the decision to harvest his organs and they kept him on life support until Saturday night."

Faulkner said the family's loss may now bring life to others.

“That was a decision that they felt like they needed to make, and in essence, it allows her son to kind of live on and help other people," he said.

Police arrested David King Sr., the boy's father, and said he admitted drinking 30 beers.

While the community continues to grieve, Faulkner said he hopes the tragic losses are a wake-up call.

"What I hope they get from this is that the decisions they make affect a lot of other people," he said Monday. "... make better choices. The choices that we're making right now are severely impacting our students."

King is the third Adair County student to die in a drunk driving crash this school year. In April, Skyler Huckaby, an eighth-grader at Adair County Middle School, lost his life in a crash. In December, a second-grader from Adair County died in a DUI crash that led to two arrests.

"These tragedies are a painful reminder of how critical it is for all of us to make responsible choices," Faulkner said. "We extend our deepest condolences to David's family and loved ones during this unimaginable time."

Adair County Middle School will have grief counselors and support staff available for students and staff.

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