A grand jury in DeKalb County, Georgia, has indicted a man who police say was driving a car that crashed into a house, causing significant injuries to a girl playing in the yard.
The 29-year-old driver, who turned himself in a few days after the March 29 crash, was captured on home surveillance video driving the car. The vehicle went airborne before crashing into the private property.
The child, who was playing outside with a friend, suffered a fractured skull and broken pelvis when she was pinned between the car and house. She is continuing to recover at home. Her friend had just minor injuries.
In the indictment, the man was charged with numerous offenses: serious injury by vehicle, hit and run, reckless driving, hit and run resulting in serious injury, failure to stop at a stop sign and failure to maintain lane.
The DeKalb county district attorney said the man crawled out of the wrecked car and left without providing assistance to the child or supplying identification.
The man’s attorney, however, said the driver was being carjacked and was attacked, which resulted in him blacking out before the crash. The attorney said the man is happy he will be able to tell his side of the story in court.
The reported passenger has not been identified or taken into custody. The driver is being held without bond.
The question of “Was he or wasn’t he being attacked at the time of the crash?” will be up to a jury to decide at trial. This will be a fascinating case to watch as it goes through the judicial system. Regardless of what a jury rules, however, the family could pursue a personal-injury case of their own against the driver. The girl’s medical bills likely have been tremendous, and she undoubtedly will need continued medical care as she recovers.
