Teen driver to be charged as adult in deadly Vann Drive crash

JACKSON, Tenn. — Almost a year after a wreck along Vann Drive that claimed the life of a Jackson couple, the two young drivers accused of drag racing and causing that crash are charged.

Prosecutors say one of the drivers has been indicted in Madison County. The other, who was just 17 at the time of the wreck, appeared Wednesday afternoon before the juvenile court judge.

“They passed me like I was standing still,” witness Dillon Blankenship said.

Jordan Bailey, who was 17 at the time of the crash that killed Jay and Julie Hogan as they were leaving the movies on Vann Drive, found out Wednesday that she will be tried as an adult.

“Common sense would say you would have been going faster than she was and were lucky enough to swerve to miss, and she wasn’t,” Madison County Juvenile Court Judge Christy Little said.

Judge Little made the decision after hearing testimony from six witnesses. That included drivers who say they saw two cars going in and out of traffic at a high speed.

Although Bailey didn’t actually hit the Hogans but was allegedly racing the driver who did, Judge Little found she should face the same charges.

“Not as an accident re-constructionist, but you were lucky in that you didn’t have impact,” Judge Little said.

Bailey was comforted by her family after learning she will be booked into the Madison County Jail on two counts of vehicular homicide by drag racing, reckless driving and drag racing.

Because this is her first offense, Judge Little did not set a bond and Bailey will be released after she is booked into the jail.

Prosecutors say Markarious Searchy, the teenager who is accused of actually hitting the Hogans, was indicted this week.

Bailey’s next hearing is set for July 11.