Driver Accused of Causing Fatal Crash in Locust Grove

Coweta County Courthouse

Locust Grove, Ga. - Georgia State Troopers have reported that a woman was killed in a crash caused by a driver who is now facing several serious charges.

According to reports, the driver was allegedly driving over 100 MPH on Interstate 85. Troopers attempted to pull him over, but he then attempted to flee. This led to him exiting the interstate and colliding with a median which led to the fatal crash with another vehicle.

The woman in the other vehicle was badly injured and died later at a nearby hospital. The driver is facing charges of:

• Vehicular Homicide in Georgia
• Serious Injury by Vehicle in Georgia
• Speeding in Georgia
• Reckless Driving in Georgia
• Fleeing or Attempting to Elude in Georgia
• And Failure to Maintain Lane in Georgia

He is currently in custody at the Coweta County Detention Center. As a Georgia DUI Lawyer, I will focus on the offense of vehicular homicide in today's post.

Vehicular Homicide in Georgia

Georgia law O.C.G.A. §40-6-393 outlines the degrees of vehicular homicide in Georgia. A person will be charged with homicide by vehicle in the first degree when, without malice aforethought, a death is caused by the person either unlawfully passing a school bus, reckless driving, fleeing or attempting to elude a police office, or leaving the scene of the accident. Homicide by vehicle in the second degree occurs when death results due to a violation of any other statute other than the ones specified for homicide in the first degree. 

First degree vehicular homicide is regarded as felony-grade vehicular homicide charge occurs when a death is the result of DUI or reckless driving. Convictions of felony-grade vehicular homicide may warrant up to 15 years in prison. 

In addition to penalties decided by a judge, the offender could also face a civil suit brought on by the victim's family. In a civil suit, the judge could award damages such as pain and suffering or loss of company to the victim's family. 

Furthermore, homicide by vehicle convictions can have long-term consequences. A felony conviction can make finding employment difficult as well as precluding the victim from practicing in certain professions such as teaching, the medical field, and other areas. The conviction will appear during background checks and can also affect obtaining housing or credit.

Practice Note

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a serious traffic violation such as those mentioned above, contact our offices now!