GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A family is grieving after eight of its members, including five children and a pregnant woman, who died in a crash in Jackson County.
The crash on Interstate 85 involved a tractor-trailer driven by Kane Hammock, who was arrested at the scene. He faces eight counts of misdemeanor vehicular homicide, among other charges.
“It’s hard because we don’t know what to do. We are in shock still,” Eva Velasquez-Benitez told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson.
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Velasquez-Benitez described the devastating impact of the crash that claimed the lives of three generations of her family. The deaths included her 25-year-old son, Darwin Ventura, and his Kenia Ramirez, who was three months pregnant.
“She was about to go to the doctor and see what’s she’s going to have,” Velasquez-Benitez said.
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The victims were going to shop at Tanger Outlets on Monday when Georgia State Patrol said Hammock’s semi truck slammed into their van.
Velasquez-Benitez recounted how her son had been planning for the future, including buying a house where she could live with them.
“He’s going to have another baby and then he tell (me), ‘Mommy, we’re going to buy a house and you can come live with us,’” she said.
Velasquez-Benitez expressed her frustration with the charges against Hammock, hoping for justice for her family.
“I hope he’s staying jail. I hope he can’t get out,” she said.
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