Atlanta Man Accused of Reckless Driving and Vehicular Homicide

Juan Marquez has been arrested and charged with reckless driving and vehicular homicide in Georgia. Marquez has been accused of causing a wreck off of I-85 in Coweta County that allegedly resulted in the death of Jessica Jose.

According to reports, Marquez's vehicle was hit with rocks from a semi-truck driving in front of him. He allegedly pulled in front of the semi-truck while on the interstate to try to speak with the driver of the semi-truck. Jose was driving her SUV behind the semi-truck and when they all came to a stop, she slammed into the back of it and died at the scene of the accident.

As a Georgia DUI Attorney, I will outline the offense of reckless driving by Georgia Law in today's post.

Reckless Driving in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines reckless driving in Georgia as:

(a) Any person who drives any vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety of persons    or property commits the offense of reckless driving.

(b) Every person convicted of reckless driving shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine not to exceed $1,000.00 or imprisonment not to exceed 12 months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, provided that no provision of this Code section shall be construed so as to deprive the court imposing the sentence of the power given by law to stay or suspend the execution of such sentence or to place the defendant on probation. O.C.G.A. §40-6-390.

Practice Note

If found guilty and convicted of reckless driving in Georgia, four points are added to the convicted person's Georgia Driver's License. This can lead to the suspension of a driver's license and it will automatically suspend the license of a driver under age 21 in Georgia. 

The penalties involved in a reckless driving conviction are not to be taken lightly. If you or a loved one has been arrested or cited for a serious traffic violation, contact a Georgia DUI Lawyer today.