Man accused of hitting cyclist with van had two previous DUIs

Terry Mullins, above center, being escorted by Laurel County Sheriff’s Deputies after he allegedly struck a teen riding a bike on US 25 just north of Corbin late Thursday night. Authorities say he was drunk and fled the scene following the accident.

A Corbin man who is facing DUI and assault charges after he hit and severely injured a 17-year-old who was riding his bike on U.S. 25 last Thursday, has at least two other DUI’s and two alcohol intoxication charges on his criminal record.

According to court records, 47-year-old Terry Mullins pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in March 2003 and again in February 2006.

In addition, Mullins had pleaded guilty to a 2008 charge of alcohol intoxication in a public place and was wanted in Laurel County at the time of his arrest Thursday for failing to appear in court on a second charge of alcohol intoxication in a public place in November 2012.

Mullins is being held in the Laurel County Correctional Center on a $25,000 cash bond.

At a preliminary hearing Tuesday in Laurel District Court, Mullins waived his right to a preliminary hearing, sending the case on to the grand jury.

The grand jury will hear the case on October 13 and return indictments on Oct. 17.

Officials at the University of Kentucky Medical Center said Tuesday that the teen, identified by family and friends as Roger “RJ” Warren, has been upgraded from critical to serious condition.

Updates posted on Warren’s Facebook page indicate that the teen has a feeding tube and had surgery to repair a broken hip.

In addition, a post on social media is asking members of the community to wear different color clothing each day and write “#fightforrj” or “#prayforrj” on your wrist in recognition of “RJ Warren Awareness Week.”

According to the post, supporters are asked to wear yellow on Wednesday, green on Thursday and purple on Friday.

Warren was airlifted to UK Thursday night after state police found him and crumpled bike lying in a ditch near the intersection of U.S. 25 and Ky. 2392 (turnoff to Sweet Hollow Golf Course).

Deputies were initially dispatched to the area at 8:47 p.m. in response to a complaint of an intruder banging on the door of a residence on Green Field Lane, off of American Greeting Road.

Sheriff John Root stated that when deputies arrived, they found Mullins passed out behind the wheel of his van, which had damage to the right front bumper, grill and windshield.

"He was extremely, extremely intoxicated," added Deputy Gilbert Acciardo, the department’s public affairs officer, who was at the sheriff’s department office when deputies brought Mullins in for processing.

Deputies took Mullins into custody. Upon further investigation, they found hair embedded in the windshield and a backpack embedded in the grill of the van.

Identification inside the backpack led deputies to a residence on Ky. 2392 where Warren’s parents told them he was overdue after leaving home after school on his bike to go to a friend’s house.

Deputies and Kentucky State Police initiated a search of the area. Trooper Chris Saunders located Warren about 9:30 p.m.
A landing zone was established at Hunter Hills Elementary School from which the Warren was airlifted.

Lt. Chuck Johnson, accident reconstructionist for the sheriff’s department, determined that Mullins had been travelling north on U.S. 25 when he ran off the shoulder of the road and struck the bike, ejecting the teen into the ditch. Mullins continued on and was approximately two miles from the scene of the crash when deputies found him.

Acciardo said the bike was too damaged to determine if it had reflectors or other safety equipment, but that Warren was riding with the flow of traffic and following other safety precautions.

Mullins has been charged with first-degree assault, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol/drugs, leaving the scene of an accident/failure to render aid, driving on a suspended/revoked operator’s license, alcohol intoxication in a public place and no insurance.

In addition, Mullins has several bench warrants.

Under Kentucky Law, first-degree assault is a Class B felony, carrying a potential prison sentence of 10 to 20 years.