The Liberty County Sheriff’s Office has released the dash camera footage of the moments prior to last Saturday’s deadly car crash along the Leroy Coffer Highway.
The accident occurred in the afternoon after a Liberty County deputy tried to stop a white Nissan that had been reported stolen. The video shows the motorist, 19-year-old Johnathan Kennedy of Savannah, starting to pull over when the deputy flashed his lights.
However, he has an apparent change of heart and speeds off.
Liberty County Sheriff Steve Sikes said the deputy pursued the car without dangerously stepping up his speed. However, in about 22 seconds, Kennedy’s vehicle crossed the median, went into oncoming traffic and hit a black Audi head-on.
The Liberty County coroner revealed that Sergeant First Class Jimmy Altamirano was a passenger in the Audi. He was 43 years old and he died at the scene.
Troopers said he used to be stationed at Fort Stewart.
All three people inside the Nissan also died at the scene. The passengers were 32-year-old Savannah resident Thomas Gordon and 40-year-old Alie Dossey of Midway.
The driver of the Audi was taken to Savannah Memorial Hospital where he was said to be in stable condition.
Sikes said his deputy did the right thing by pursuing the vehicle and calling for backup. He stressed that the deputy didn’t speed up or chase the car into the westbound lanes.
Instead, he said the deadly incident was unavoidable and caused by a reckless driver. He described the situation as heart-rending.
Sikes said no one would face charges in connection with the incident since Kennedy died in the crash.
If you suffered injuries in a Georgia car crash or your loved one lost their life, seek advice from an auto accident lawyer in Georgia. You may be entitled to compensation.
Source: https://www.wsav.com/crime-safety/four-dead-after-police-chase-on-leroy-coffer-hwy-in-liberty-county/
