In June, a state trooper tried to stop a car with five teenagers inside in Cobb County in Georgia. Instead of complying, the teen driver tried to flee.
The results were devastating even by the standards of the summer months in Georgia when teen accidents spike. The high-speed chase that ensued led to no less than nine separate crashes.
Georgia State Patrol spokeswoman Tracey Watson told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the trooper tried to stop a Dodge Charger because it was reported as stolen.
The 17-year-old driver reportedly sped off from Cumberland Boulevard onto I-75. Watson said the Dodge struck multiple cars on the interstate.
Teen accidents spike over the summer
The police chase resulted in nine separate wrecks and reached speeds of up to 100 mph, according to an arrest warrant for the driver.
Authorities told the Journal-Constitution, the stolen Charger was driven through a grass median. The 17-year-old driver is accused of going the wrong way along a ramp from northbound Cobb Parkway to southbound Ga. 280. It struck a 2003 Infiniti G35 and a heavy duty construction forklift, the warrant stated,
The chase only ended when the Dodge Charger hit the construction equipment. The forklift operator Richard Cheese was reported to be injured. Michelle Fluellen, the driver of the Infiniti, was also injured in the wreck. Their injuries were not life-threatening.
All five teenagers were arrested. They were reported to be between the ages of 17 and 19 and all but one lived in Atlanta.
The driver faces 10 counts of reckless driving, nine counts of hit-and-run, one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police as well as six further misdemeanors.
According to AAA, teen accidents spike over the summer months across the country.
A report noted a 15 percent increase in fatal teen crashes over the summer months.
Teen drivers are increasingly likely to become involved in fatal crashes during what AAA describes as the “100 deadliest days” from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
The AAA study said 16- and 17-year-olds are a staggering three times more likely than adults to be involved in a fatal car crash.
AAA spokesman Jennifer Ryan said:
“They’re more likely to take risks behind the wheel, including speeding, driving distracted, and not wearing their seatbelts.”
If you or a loved one has been hurt in a car crash on the highways of Georgia caused by another driver, please contact the Law Offices of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.