A Georgia mother could face up to three years in prison after someone else killed her 4-year-old son because she was jaywalking with her children. A neighbor recalled the incident that happened last spring.
“It’s just a real horrible situation,” neighbor Mike Johnson said. “I’m just hoping that she will pull through it and make the best out of it.”
Raquel Nelson and her three children stepped off a bus in Marietta, Georgia where there was no crosswalk. The family tried to make it across four lanes where their home was on the other side. But a van struck them in the street. Reportedly, witnesses said the family didn’t stand a chance.
“A tan suv or a van turned on his light bright lights and just sped up the street,” witness Ashley Jones said. “And he hit the little boy and the little boy flew up in the air.”
A.J. died, his mother and one of his sister had minor injuries. His 6-year-old sister was left unharmed.
The driver fled the scene of the crime — hitting the family and then, running. Reportedly, the driver, Jerry Guy, was under the influence of alcohol, prescription drugs and is partially blind in one eye. Police tracked him down, and he pleaded guilty to one charge of hit and run.
Guy was convicted and served six months in prison — being released last year. He is currently on probation.
This is not Guy’s first hit and run. He was convicted twice before for hit and run.
A.J.’s mom faces charges herself of second degree vehicular homicide, reckless conduct and failure to use a crosswalk.
“It is her fault and it is his fault,” Johnson said. “But at the same time she suffered such a great loss so I just don’t see what putting her in prison is going to do.”