Hit-and-Run Driver Jumps Curb and Severely Injures 89-Year-Old Pedestrian

BROOKHAVEN, GA- Northwestgeorgianews.com writes that a driver struck and severely injured a pedestrian this week in Brookhaven. The incident occurred on Peachtree Road in the early evening when the victim was walking on the sidewalk. The 89-year-old woman was walking from the Atler at Brookhaven Apartment complex when a 2012 Toyota Camry drove over the curb and onto the sidewalk where it struck the victim.*

The driver was identified as a 53-year-old Brookhaven resident. Police stated that the woman did not stop after striking the elderly victim. Instead, the driver fled the scene without calling for emergency services or reporting the incident to law enforcement. Witnesses saw the crash occur and contacted emergency services and provided officers with a description of the vehicle involved in the accident. Police were then able to apprehend the suspect a short while after the collision. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment of severe injuries. Police have filed charges against the driver, which include counts for fleeing the scene and for driving under the influence. The incident is still under investigation, and police are requesting that anyone with information about the wreck contact the traffic safety unit. 

Hit-and-run crashes have been on an upward trend in the United States. In 2016, 2,049 people died in crashes where the drivers fled the scene. The AAA published a report on hit-and-run crashes and found that the 2016 numbers were the highest recorded since 1975 when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began keeping such statistics. The study also indicated that the victims of hit-and-run crashes are often pedestrians. In fact, about one out of five pedestrians killed in vehicle accidents are struck by drivers who then leave the scene of the collision.

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Sources:

https://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/region/brookhaven-police-arrest-hit-and-run-suspect-accused-of-striking-89-year-old-pedestrian-on/article_aef7a67d-1822-5412-aa3b-33eb2cc1706e.html

https://aaafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/18-0058_Hit-and-Run-Brief_FINALv2.pdf