Hit-and-run drivers often have something to hide. This appears to be the case with a suspect who fled a wreck in DeKalb County, according to police.
A report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution stated two years before the head-on impact of a deadly crash in May, the driver was charged with DUI and lost his license.
When another motorist helped pull the driver from his Toyota Camry, which he was driving home from Moon Shadow Tavern in Tucker, he reportedly said he did not have a license and fled the scene on foot.
DUI suspect fled wreck in DeKalb
Police said the suspect ran away from the accident scene on Lavista Road on foot. Edward Freeland Harris, an occupant of another car, and Leigh Harris, who was badly injured by the impact. Edward Freeland Harris died of his injuries.
The AJC reported police later found the suspect. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment for his injuries. He also allegedly smelled of alcohol and admitted he’d been drinking alcohol. Police found out his license was still suspended from the previous pending DUI case.
He was booked in the county jail the following day on charges including vehicular homicide, driving with a suspended license. DUI, and hit-and-run.
Alcohol is a major cause of fatal accidents and wrecks with injuries in Georgia. If you are charged with intoxicated driving you may face jail time.
In 2014, Georgia recorded 326 deaths linked to alcohol, accounting for 28 percent of highway deaths.
There is never an excuse for fleeing the scene of an accident. Drivers who leave the scene are often drunk or have no insurance or driver’s license. If you run from an accident that causes a death or a serious injury, you are likely to face serious consequences. Most drivers who flee an accident are later apprehended by the police. Even if the accident you were involved in was minor in nature, you should remain at an accident scene until the police arrive to compile a report.
If you have been injured or lost a family member to a hit-and-run driver, please contact the Law Office of Michael West at (404) 913-1529.