Community Corner
Police Believe Driver Was Intoxicated in Fatal Hit-and-Run in Lilburn
A woman and a 10-year-old were killed while walking on Lawrenceville Highway toward Harbins Road on Thursday evening.
Click here for an update on this article on the suspect's arrest and victims' identities.
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This article was originally posted Thursday, July 18, 2013, at 11:09 p.m.
Police believe the male driver connected to a double fatal hit-and-run was intoxicated when his car hit two pedestrians Thursday (July 18) off Lawrenceville Highway in Lilburn.
"It is our intention to do a blood or urine exam on the driver," Lilburn Police spokesman Capt. Thomas Bardugon told Lilburn Patch.
Charges have not been determined yet, but Bardugon explained the man could face failure to maintain lane, hit and run, and two counts of vehicular homicide. It would specifically be first-degree vehicular homicide if the driver is determined to be under the influence, Bardugon added.
As of 10:30 p.m. Thursday, investigators were questioning the driver and also a white female passenger at the police station. Their identities have not been released.
Witnesses told police that the man was driving a white pickup truck that had struck a woman and a 10-year-old girl around 6:39 p.m. Thursday at the intersection of Highway 29 and Harbins Road in front of the Calvary Baptist Church. (Click here to see video of a witness speaking about the incident.)
Authorities found the two victims motionless on the sidewalk and were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Bardugon. Their identities have not been released.
"We're still working on trying to identify the vicitms," said Bardugon. He added that they're confident that they live close by since they were carrying a shopping bag.
Police believe the truck was driving south of Lawrenceville Highway and changed from the left lane to the right lane and left the roadway. The vehicle then got up on the sidewalk and allegedly hit the women, who were walking north in front of the church. The vehicle got back on the road and continued on Lawrenceville Highway.
A witness actually stopped the truck down the road, and officers were able to detain the man and woman shortly after. Bardugon said the vehicle is being brought in to the station for processing.
The hit-and-run caused the entire road to be blocked for the evening. All lanes of Highway 29 were reopened shortly after 10 p.m.
Stay with Patch as this story develops.
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