A Kentucky woman has been arrested after authorities said she left a 91-year-old man stranded inside a hot vehicle because he refused to buy her cigarettes.
The Laurel County Sheriff’s Office said 37-year-old Nikki Reed Hoskins was taken into custody Thursday following a 911 call from a passerby who reported seeing an elderly man left alone in a vehicle on the roadway.
When deputies arrived at the scene, they found the 91-year-old man inside the vehicle and began investigating what had happened. According to the sheriff’s office, deputies learned that Hoskins had allegedly removed the keys from the man’s vehicle, leaving it inoperable while he remained inside.
The man told deputies that Hoskins had left him and the vehicle behind before walking back toward her home. Authorities said the incident happened after the man refused to buy her cigarettes.
Deputies noted that the heat index at the time was 101 degrees, creating potentially dangerous conditions for the elderly man while he was left in the vehicle.
After speaking with the man, deputies went to Hoskins’ home. The sheriff’s office said she refused to come outside when deputies attempted to make contact with her. During the investigation, deputies also learned that Hoskins had outstanding warrants.
Authorities said deputies eventually forced entry into the residence. Once inside, they found Hoskins hiding in her bedroom.
The sheriff’s office said the situation escalated as deputies attempted to arrest her. During the arrest, Hoskins allegedly hit a deputy. Officials also said she appeared to be under the influence at the time.
Hoskins was charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, theft by unlawful taking, third-degree assault of a police officer and menacing.
In addition to those charges, Hoskins was also charged on two outstanding warrants. Those warrants included failure to appear in court on child support and public intoxication charges.
Following her arrest, Hoskins was booked into the Laurel County Correctional Center.
The sheriff’s office did not immediately release further details about the condition of the 91-year-old man or whether he required medical treatment after being found in the vehicle.
The case has drawn attention because of the age of the alleged victim and the extreme heat conditions reported by deputies. Authorities said the man was left in a vehicle that could not be operated after the keys were allegedly taken, leaving him unable to drive away or move the vehicle himself.