Repo man charged in woman's death considers plea deal

PROVO, Utah – A Utah repossession agent charged with causing the death of a woman by forcing her off the road while trying to take back her car is considering a plea deal.

Kenneth Drew was set for an evidentiary hearing Thursday but that was scrapped when prosecutors instead offered a plea deal, the Daily Herald of Provo reports (http://bit.ly/2eKKJzO ).

Utah County prosecutor Jared Perkins said his office decided after talking with the victim's family that the case can be resolved without going to trial. Perkins said he and Drew's attorney, Loni DeLand, now need time to hash out details.

Drew is scheduled to be back in court on Nov. 1. If he doesn't accept the deal, the evidentiary hearing will be held on Nov. 28.

The crash occurred on May 17 in Pleasant Grove, south of Salt Lake City, after Drew went after midnight to the house of Ashleigh Best, 35-year-old a mother of two, prosecutors said. Best had fallen behind on title loan payments

Best's husband Brennen Best stepped between Drew's tow truck and SUV, and the two men argued until Drew agreed to leave the SUV alone to allow the couple time to make a payment and return with proof, charging documents show.

A short time later, Best got in her SUV and drove away. Her husband told police he had instructed her to drive the SUV to her mother's house.

Drew later told police he was angry about the deception and sped after her in his tow truck with his girlfriend in the passenger's seat. A neighbor's security camera shows Drew trying to force Best against a curb as both cars accelerated.

Later in the chase, prosecutors say Drew drove alongside Best's SUV, grinding his rear right tire into her door. Going faster than 50 mph, Best jumped a curb and smashed into a tree. She died a short time later.

Drew told investigators he was just following Best to keep an eye on the SUV, charging documents show.

Investigators, however, say evidence, including pictures and GPS data from the tow truck, show Drew's story doesn't match what happened.

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Information from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com