UPDATE: UK student ‘showed signs of impairment’ when arrested Saturday after collision

Jacob+Heil+-+Fayette+County+Detention+Center

Jacob Heil – Fayette County Detention Center

Rick Childress

UPDATE: Jacob Heil, 18, a UK freshman who was identified by police as the driver of a silver passenger car which struck a 4-year-old boy during Saturday’s football game, was arrested at the scene of the accident with red, blood-shot, watery eyes, the arrest citation showed. 

According to the citation, Heil had a strong odor of alcohol when police arrested him on Cooper Drive, and “showed signs of impairment” during field sobriety tests. 

The 4-year-old boy was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. He was waiting to cross Cooper Drive with his family, a Lexington Police press release stated. As of Monday morning, a UK Hospital public relations official said they could not give an update on the boy’s condition. 

Heil was driving a 2012 silver Hyundai Sonata, the arrest citation showed. He was released eight hours after his arrest. It’s not clear how Heil received the alcohol. 

LEX18 reported that Heil pledged to the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity chapter at UK, but has since been suspended.

“We join the community in keeping the young boy in our prayers,” the fraternity’s national office wrote in a statement.  “Officials with the ATO national office are touch with members of the chapter and university officials as we seek to determine details of what happened before the accident.  ATO can confirm Jacob Heil pledged to the chapter earlier this week, but has been suspended.”

UK spokesperson Jay Blanton told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Heil is a first-year student at UK.

Heil was driving eastbound on Cooper, and the boy was struck near Scoville Road, the release said. No one else was injured.

According to the Herald-Leader, Lexington police Sgt. Stephen said that the car may have “veered off the road a little bit.”

The UK Student Government Association announced via social media Saturday night that it would be “looking into solutions for transportation and other safety issues associated with game days.”

Lexington police are still investigating the accident. The police are asking that anyone who witnessed the incident contact the department at (859)-258-3600.