Daughter of Country Music Star Wynonna Judd Faces Felony Charges of Stealing Church Van from Pastor’s Home and Taking It on a High-Speed Chase
Grace Pauline Kelley, the daughter of Grammy winner Wynonna Judd, was recently arrested again days before Halloween. It seems the country music nepo kid was caught red-handed by a Virginia pastor after she stole his church congregation’s van and trailer.
Over a month later, the 28-year-old remains behind bars in an Albemarle County jail in Virginia, facing seven charges, including three counts of felony grand larceny, driving without a license, destruction of property with intent, failure to use headlights and setting in motion a vehicle with intent to commit a crime, Fox 17 reports.
According to the Daily Progress, this is her third major run-in with the law and just one of the unfortunate legal troubles related to her ongoing struggles with addiction.
The incident went down on Sunday, Oct. 27, in the afternoon, after the Ground Zero Church of the Nazarene in Charlottesville ended their morning and afternoon worship services, and the church’s pastor was winding down at home.
Rev. Kent Hart recounted the chaotic incident, saying he was in his kitchen when he spotted his church van leaving his driveway.
“I’m talking to my daughter, and I look out the window, and I see the van leaving my house,” Hart explained.
After confirming no one from his family had borrowed it, he immediately gave chase.
Hart eventually caught up with the van and confronted the driver, who he described as disheveled, with a buzz cut and face tattoos.
“I’m like, ‘You stole my van, get out of my van,’ beating on the door,” the preacher recalls, but none of that deterred Kelley, who continued wildly driving.
The pastor says he did not give up either and remained in hot pursuit of the young woman, whipping down Rolling Road to Virginia Route 20.
Hart told the outlet that at one point, he tried to box her in when Kelley drove around his Chevrolet Yukon. Still, he was not successful.
The high-speed chase only ended when she emerged on Massie Branch Lane, just south of Simeon, and was faced with Officer Corey Legg, who, by conducting a traffic stop, impeded the stolen vehicle and apprehended the suspect.
During her arrest, Kelley reportedly exhibited erratic behavior.
Hart said to the outlet, “It looked to me like she could have been high like she didn’t really seem like she was completely in her right mind.”
According to Officer Legg’s report, she claimed to have “sold her soul to the devil” and requested to be committed to a mental institution.
The police officer said, “She began stating she had sold her soul to the devil,” adding, “I advised the jail staff that she may have taken something. I was later informed that the jail staff observed something inside of Ms. Kelley during her body scan.”
As a result, the young woman was transported to the University of Virginia Medical Center for further observation.
Kelley’s bloodwork confirmed heroin use, though drug-related charges are not currently among her pending seven charges.
This is not the first time that Kelley has been in legal trouble or had any connection to hard drugs.
She has prior convictions in methamphetamine production, evading arrest, and driving while intoxicated, dating back to 2017 when was selling drugs, not just using. In addition, Kelley faces pending charges in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, including aggravated assault, trespassing, manufacturing methamphetamine, and probation violations.
Back in April, Kelley was arrested in Alabama on charges of indecent exposure and soliciting prostitution.
Two months before she stole the van from the church, she was arrested on three misdemeanor counts, including attempting to flee from an officer and incorrectly using motorcycle equipment.
Pastor Hart, despite the ordeal, expressed compassion for Kelley.
“We devoted an entire service to her,” he said. “We cut the livestream off, and we, as a church, prayed for her and her family.”
Hart said, “On a personal level, we forgive her.” That does not mean that he is not pressing charges.
While the reverend still wants the authorities to hold her accountable for her actions, he hopes Kelley finds the help she needs.
Kelley is currently being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 2, where she will be represented by a public defender, despite her famous mother having an estimated net worth of $12 million.
The drug-crazed joy ride caused significant damage to Hart’s van, which the church relied on to transport equipment.
“The van was damaged during the theft, and after being inspected by a body shop, the insurance company determined it to be a total loss,” the New York Post quotes Hart.
He continued, “The van was only valued at $3,800, and after the body shop fees and deductible, we are only left with around $2,200. We are a small church and cannot afford to buy another van in the current market.”
The ministry currently meets in rented spaces, holding Sunday services at 10 a.m. at Jackson-Via Elementary School and 12:30 p.m. at Crescent Halls in Charlottesville, Virginia. The van was essential for the church leaders to transport their trailer with equipment, cooking supplies, and helping congregation members get to and from services.
To recover from the loss, the congregation had launched a crowdfunding campaign, with a goal that was set to $30,000, for a replacement vehicle on GoFundMe. But as of Dec. 3, the charitable page is disabled.
Wynonna Judd has not publicly commented on her daughter’s latest arrest.
Grace Pauline Kelley is the younger of the “No One Else on Earth” singer’s two children. Her brother Elijah Kelley is a deputy with the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department in Tennessee.
