The man who killed a pregnant woman and her fetus in mid-January faces multiple criminal charges. A Thursday, January 28th, news report disclosed that the victim, 27-year-old Alana Barnes was 15 weeks pregnant when the Danielsville Road fatal crash occurred.
Medics rushed the woman to the hospital, but she and the baby died while undergoing treatment. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department said they charged the driver, 37-year-old Clinton Jester, with Homicide by Vehicle 1st Degree.
The man faces Feticide by Vehicle 1st Degree, reckless driving, failure to obey traffic control device, and failure to maintain lane. Jester is also facing driving while license suspended, driving too fast for conditions, and possession of methamphetamine.
The man remains in the Athens-Clarke County jail. There is no information on his bail bond at the time. The authorities said the Danielsville Road fatal crash is the second fatality in the county in 2021.
When it comes to motor vehicle collisions, Georgia is a fault state. It means that the driver with the highest liability is answerable for the crash. If the investigators rule it a vehicular homicide, they will turn it over to the District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
The at-fault driver will face a misdemeanor or felony charge depending on the accident’s facts. It’s always a felony charge for first-degree homicide. If found guilty, the defendant faces a prison term between three to fifteen years.
It is a maximum of one year in jail for a misdemeanor, up to $1,000 fines, or both. The victim’s family or representative might also choose to file a wrongful death action against the at-fault driver. The preceding is a civil action and carries no prison term but remuneration. In either case, it is prudent to hire a Georgia car accident attorney.
Source: https://www.11alive.com/mobile/article/news/local/mynews/athens/man-charged-after-pregnant-woman-killed-in-athens-crash/85-028dcf93-8752-4df1-8015-ac4b03999146
