Kansas teen hit by car in Louisville retires from basketball, will focus on degree at Iowa

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Ava Jones, the Kansas teenager who was hit by a car in downtown Louisville nearly two years ago, will retire from basketball.

Several members of the Jones family were hit while walking on the sidewalk at 2nd and Market streets in July 2022.

Ava and her mother, Amy, were seriously injured and spent months in the hospital. Her father, Trey, was killed.

Prior to the crash, Ava Jones was a high school basketball star and was set to play at the University of Iowa.

On Friday, the Iowa Hawkeyes announced she will taking a medical disqualification and retire from basketball. Iowa said that she wasn't cleared to play this upcoming season.

"We wish Ava the best on the road to recovery and fully support the decision she made to step away from the game,' Iowa coach Jan Jensen said in a news release. "She worked tirelessly to get to this point, but she made the best decision for herself and her well-being."

She will remain on scholarship as she pursues her degree.

The driver accused of hitting the family, Michael Hurley, is charged with murder and assault. According to Louisville Metro Police, he told officers he had taken hydrocodone and was "so tired he could not make the turn."

The jury trial is expected to begin July 11.

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Kansas teen hit by car in Louisville retires from basketball, will focus on degree at Iowa