COBB COUNTY, Georgia — A Tuesday night drive turned fatal when a 22-year-old driver crossed into oncoming traffic and killed a passenger riding in a minivan on Sandtown Road.
It happened at 9:20 p.m., just south of Booth Road.
Carlos Garcia, of Marietta, was driving a black and white pickup truck northbound on Sandtown Road when he failed to maintain his lane and drifted into the southbound lane.
A gray minivan was coming the other way.
Behind the wheel of that minivan was Kerby Pierre, 37, of Atlanta. He had two passengers with him — his family member Keena Pierre, 41, of Atlanta, and Katie Stephens, 82, of Marietta.
The two vehicles collided.
Keena Pierre did not survive.
Kerby Pierre walked away without injuries. Stephens was transported to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.
Garcia was uninjured.
He was taken into custody at the scene and charged with driving under the influence, felony vehicular homicide, driving without a valid license, failure to maintain lane, and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Garcia is currently being held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center without bond.
Several questions remain unanswered. Police have not disclosed whether Garcia was impaired by alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both. No blood alcohol concentration results have been released. Investigators have also not confirmed what caused Garcia to drift into the wrong lane or whether speed was a factor.
A family lost someone they loved Tuesday night. A seat in that minivan is now empty.
What are your thoughts on DUI enforcement in your community? Share them in the comments below.