Atlanta Driver Arrested in Hit-and-Run

According to WSB-TV Atlanta, police have arrested a driver involved in a hit-and-run on April 20. Early that Monday morning on the Downtown Connector (near Edgewood Avenue, north of I-20), two people got out of their cars after a traffic accident. Police say, “They were outside their vehicle, possibly to inspect it for damage, and another that was also going northbound struck both men and they were killed on scene.”

The Atlanta Police Department’s accident investigation team jumped into action searching for witnesses and crash debris. Within hours, police located the suspect’s car. According to WSB-TV, “The driver of the car, 25-year-old Jose M. Garcia-Trujillo, was arrested and charged with homicide by vehicle and hit-and-run.”

Despite the tragic event, police say this is a reminder, “If you do get out of your vehicle, don’t go walking around on the road.” “That’s one of the most dangerous places there is,” says Officer Steven Avery.

What To Do After a Car Accident

One of the most important things to do if you get in to a car accident is move to the side of the road. After the accident, it’s important to move to the shoulder to stay out of harms way. Also, this prevents another accident from happening. The only exceptions to this rule is if there’s a serious injury or too dangerous to move. According to this USA Today article, “Sgt. Michael D. Baker, spokesperson for the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, says if no one is hurt, then it’s best to move your car completely off the road to prevent being a danger to others. (It’s OK to take a few photos of the crash first.)”

“People pull over to the shoulder of the road, and before you know it, they’re actually standing in the roadway,” Baker says. “We’ve had pedestrians struck.”

For more tips, read “What to Do After a Car Accident.”