Atlanta Police Chase Ends with a Crash and Six People in the Hospital

A GSP chase in Atlanta ended with a crash and six people in the hospital. A GSP Trooper attempted to make a routine traffic stop once noticing an expired tag. The attempt turned into a chase on I-285 North Thursday night. The driver attempted to exit on I-20 East at Hamilton E. Holmes Drive, rear-ended another car and hit a tree.

The vehicle then caught on fire. The trooper rescued the two occupants, and they were both taken to a nearby hospital. The four occupants of the sedan were also taken to the hospital.

The driver is facing charges of fleeing an officer, driving without a state tag and reckless endangerment. As an Atlanta Criminal Lawyer, I will outline the offense of reckless endangerment also known as reckless conduct in Georgia.

Reckless Conduct in Georgia

The Georgia Code outlines the criminal offense of reckless conduct as:

A person who causes bodily harm to or endangers the bodily safety of another person by consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk that his act or omission will cause harm or endanger the safety of the other person and the disregard constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care which a reasonable person would exercise in the situation is guilty of a misdemeanor. O.C.G.A. §16-5-40.

The prosecution must demonstrate that the accused person is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in order to convict him or her. 

The prosecutor must demonstrate that the act taken was not one that a reasonable person would have done. 

During trial, the court will analyze different factors to try and determine whether or not the defendant should have known that their conduct was dangerous. 

Reckless conduct is classified as a misdemeanor the majority of the time. An Atlanta Criminal Attorney can negotiate with the prosecutor to obtain the best possible outcome.

Practice Note

The victim could sue the defendant for damages that resulted from the crime. So, on top of jail time and a fine, if convicted you could also be subject to a personal injury lawsuit from the victim. 

Having both knowledgeable and experienced representation is of up the utmost importance when facing a criminal charge. Your case is important. Contact us today.