On August 20, 31-year-old Emanuel R. Mitchell was riding his motorcycle on I-75 near the Windy Hill Road exit ramp. Witnesses reported that a silver late model Porsche abruptly changed lanes and hit Mitchell's motorcycle. Mitchell was knocked into the road, where he was then hit by a second vehicle. Mitchell died from his injuries, but the driver of the Porsche left the scene.
A person who saw the damaged Porsche in an Alabaster, Alabama body shop became suspicious and did some research. He notified the authorities, and police officers were able to match parts on the damaged Porsche with parts left at the accident scene. On Tuesday, August 30, 32-year-old Brandon Michael Weston and 41-year-old Pamela Kay Rice were arrested.
Weston was charged with failure to maintain lane, no insurance, failure to register a vehicle, hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and tampering with evidence. His passenger, Rice, was charged with being a party to the crime of hit-and-run, vehicular homicide, and tampering with evidence.
Hit-and-run accidents are not uncommon in the greater Atlanta area. They affect motorists, motorcyclists and pedestrians. Atlanta pedestrian hit-and-runs are often fatal because the victim has no protection from the larger vehicle.
Georgia hit-and-run injuries include:
Whiplash
Spinal cord injury
Neck injury
Torn ligaments
Torn tendons
Fractured bones
Brain injury
Wrongful death
Not all hit-and-run accidents end up with the at-fault driver being held accountable for his actions. In many cases, the driver cannot be found for months, years or at all. In the meantime, the Georgia accident victim is left with no one to hold accountable. The victim may be left with thousands of dollars of medical bills and property damage. Learn more about liability for hit-and-run accidents in Cobb County accident attorney Shane Smith's article, "Injured in an Atlanta Hit-and-Run: Who is Liable?" .
Whether or not the at-fault driver is found, Georgia hit-and-run victims deserve compensation for their injuries. A Cobb County car crash lawyer can deal with the insurance companies on your behalf, so you can focus on getting well. Not only does this reduce your stress, but it increases the likelihood that you will get full compensation for your injuries.
To learn more, contact Shane Smith Law and ask to schedule a FREE consultation with a Cobb County car crash attorney.