A family in South Fulton is grateful to a witness whose testimony led to an arrest in a crash that killed 45-year-old Jovanna Whitaker.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Flat Shoals and Shoals Creek in February. Initially, police struggled to determine who was at fault until a witness came forward with crucial information.
“He just don’t know what he took,” said Kwanna Stiggers Fletcher, Whitaker’s cousin, expressing the family’s grief over the loss.
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Whitaker died a month after the crash from her injuries.
Sgt. William Thompson of the South Fulton Police noted the difficulty in determining fault, as it was unclear which vehicle crossed the line.
Fletcher told Channel 2’s Tom Jones on Channel 2 Action News at 6 she conducted her own investigation. She was convinced that Whitaker was not speeding and could not have caused the accident.
A breakthrough came when a witness reported seeing the suspect, Dartail Hunter, speeding and crossing into Whitaker’s lane before the collision.
The witness also noted that Hunter appeared intoxicated at the scene. This testimony allowed Sgt. Thompson to subpoena Hunter’s medical records, which confirmed intoxication, leading to Hunter’s arrest on charges including felony homicide by vehicle and DUI.
Despite the arrest, the family expressed dissatisfaction with Hunter’s $40,000 bond, considering it too low given the severity of the charges.
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