A Menifee County man accused of running over his wife is charged with her murder.

Kentucky State Police charged Austin Prater, 20, with murder, violating an Emergency Protective Order, leaving the scene of an accident and tampering with physical evidence.

Police arrested Prater Wednesday morning. They found the body of his wife, 18-year old Mariah Prater, in a ditch off the roadway.

According to his arrest citation, Prater told investigators his wife fell out of his truck.

Prater's citation goes on to say he ran over his wife, got out of his truck and walked over to her, and then went back to his truck to call 911, but did not leave his name.

After making the phone call, KSP said Prater threw his cell phone in the grass and drove away.

Austin Prater's mother says she visited her son in jail this afternoon and "if he had things to do over he would have done things differently."

Donna Prater says despite the couple's differences in the past she believes what happened Tuesday night was an accident.

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