Just before 8 p.m., troopers on I-20 eastbound near the Boulevard exit reportedly observed a Chevrolet Equinox speeding and making erratic lane changes, according to the Georgia State Patrol. According to the GSP, the pursuit began when the driver fled after officials attempted to halt the car.
After leaving on Moreland Avenue, Mohamed proceeded to drive at high speeds, changing lanes carelessly and swerving past other cars in the center turn lane, according to the state patrol. According to the DA’s office, the fast-paced pursuit lasted for almost two miles.
Channel 2 Action News is credited.
Channel 2 Action News is credited.
The district attorney claims that when she ran a red light, she crashed into Schoenke’s Honda Accord. The Little Five Corner Tavern’s side was then struck by the Honda.
The Georgia Public Defender Council has been contacted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to get a statement from Mohamed’s lawyer.
Local and state officials began talking about police pursuits that result in collisions after the incident.
Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex, and other lawmakers and activists urged Gov. Brian Kemp to sign an executive order altering the pursuit policy of the state patrol in the days after the tragedy.
In a statement released at the time, the governor’s office defended the state patrol and claimed that those advocating for changes were misinformed. The governor’s spokesperson blamed the driver who left, but the statement called the tragedy “heartbreaking.”
According to an Atlanta Journal-Constitution analysis, the GSP has one of the most lenient pursuit policies in the nation. It leaves many decisions, including as whether to start or end a chase, up to individual troopers and does not explicitly define the role of a supervisor during a pursuit.
A GSP official earlier stated that every life is valuable and that any life lost while maintaining public safety is terrible and devastating. In order to protect Georgians, the Department of Public Safety makes sure that its personnel use sound judgment and adhere to the law and policy.
According to the district attorney’s office, a trial date may be scheduled following Mohamed’s arraignment and the case’s assignment to a Superior Court judge.
