Arrest made in Delk Road car/motorcycle crash

Marietta police carMarietta Police Car (photo by Larry Felton Johnson)

This is an update to an earlier story.

Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department reports that the driver of the 2018 Honda Accord who changed lanes into the path of a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by a forty-four-year-old Lithia Springs man with a nine-year-old passenger was arrested on charges related to the incident.

The collision caused serious injuries to the motorcyclist and his nine-year-old passenger.

He was booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center Wednesday on charges of “Improper Lane Change (M), Disregard Traffic Control Device (M), Improper Lane Change – no signal (M), Failing To Obtain GA Drivers License (M), Improper Turn (M), Serious Injury By Vehicle x(2) (F), Reckless Driving (M).”

All charges are misdemeanors except the charge of Serious Injury by Vehicle.

During the trial of another person charged with this offense, Superior Court Judge Kimberly Childs explained the meaning of that charge as follows, in her instructions to the jury:

Any person who, without malice, causes bodily harm to another by seriously disfiguring a member of his body, though [sic] the violation of O.C.G.A. 40-6-390 (Reckless Driving) commits the crime of Serious Injury by Vehicle.

O.C.G.A. 40-6-390 provides that any person who drives any vehicle in reckless disregard for the safety of persons or property commits the offense of reckless driving.

Original report

According to Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department, the department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.) Unit is investigating a serious injury motor vehicle crash that happened on Saturday April 23, 2022, at 4:18 p.m. on Delk Road at Franklin Gateway.

Investigators report that a 2018 Honda Accord being driven by a thirty-eight-year-old Marietta man was stopped on Delk Road at Franklin Gateway, waiting to turn south onto Franklin Gateway. 

A 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by a forty-four-year-old Lithia Springs man was traveling west on Delk Road approaching Franklin Gateway, with a nine-year-old passenger. 

For reasons unknown, the driver of the Honda left his turn lane and attempted to cross over multiple westbound lanes of Delk Road.  The Honda entered the path of the motorcycle as it approached the intersection.  The motorcycle struck the Honda, ejecting the man and his nine-year-old female passenger.

Both the operator of the motorcycle and his juvenile passenger were seriously injured. 

The man was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.  The juvenile female passenger was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. 

The crash remains under investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact S.T.E.P. Investigator Thomas Ayres at (770) 794-5384.

About the City of Marietta

The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 60,867 which makes it the largest city in Cobb County by population.

However, the city is in a neck-and-neck race with fast-growing Smyrna, whose population was 56,666 at the last estimate.

Here are a few fast facts from the Census Bureau:

Marietta city, Georgia

Marietta city, Georgia
People


Population, Census, April 1, 202060972
Population, Census, April 1, 201056579
Age and Sex
Persons under 5 years, percent 6.7%
Persons under 18 years, percent 21.8%
Persons 65 years and over, percent 13.2%
Female persons, percent 49.9%
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent 53.4%
Black or African American alone, percent(a) 32.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.6%
Asian alone, percent(a) 1.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.0%
Two or More Races, percent 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 15.7%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 46.4%
Population Characteristics
Veterans, 2016-20202678
Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-202016.6%
Housing
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-202044.0%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020$310,100
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020$1,856
Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020$526
Median gross rent, 2016-2020$1,145
Families & Living Arrangements
Households, 2016-202024148
Persons per household, 2016-20202.39
Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-202077.9%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2016-202023.7%
Computer and Internet Use
Households with a computer, percent, 2016-202095.1%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2016-202086.6%
Education
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-202088.6%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-202044.0%
Health
With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-20206.3%
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent 20.2%
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-202067.2%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-202061.2%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)264544
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1584232
Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1129407
Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1976915
Total retail sales per capita, 2012(c)$33,875
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2016-202028.5
Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020$59,594
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020$36,112
Persons in poverty, percent 14.1%

Businesses

All firms, 201210501
Men-owned firms, 20124934
Women-owned firms, 20124186
Minority-owned firms, 20124286
Nonminority-owned firms, 20125502
Veteran-owned firms, 20121015
Nonveteran-owned firms, 20128663

Geography

Population per square mile, 20102451.4
Land area in square miles, 201023.08

According to Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department, the department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.) Unit is investigating a serious injury motor vehicle crash that happened on Saturday April 23, 2022, at 4:18 p.m. on Delk Road at Franklin Gateway.

Investigators report that a 2018 Honda Accord being driven by a thirty-eight-year-old Marietta man was stopped on Delk Road at Franklin Gateway, waiting to turn south onto Franklin Gateway. 

A 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by a forty-four-year-old Lithia Springs man was traveling west on Delk Road approaching Franklin Gateway, with a nine-year-old passenger. 

For reasons unknown, the driver of the Honda left his turn lane and attempted to cross over multiple westbound lanes of Delk Road.  The Honda entered the path of the motorcycle as it approached the intersection.  The motorcycle struck the Honda, ejecting the man and his nine-year-old female passenger.

Both the operator of the motorcycle and his juvenile passenger were seriously injured. 

The man was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.  The juvenile female passenger was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. 

The crash remains under investigation and anyone with additional information is asked to contact S.T.E.P. Investigator Thomas Ayres at (770) 794-5384.

About the City of Marietta

The City of Marietta is the county seat of Cobb County. The latest estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau puts the population of the city at 60,867 which makes it the largest city in Cobb County by population.

However, the city is in a neck-and-neck race with fast-growing Smyrna, whose population was 56,666 at the last estimate.

Here are a few fast facts from the Census Bureau:

Marietta city, Georgia

Marietta city, Georgia
People


Population, Census, April 1, 202060972
Population, Census, April 1, 201056579
Age and Sex
Persons under 5 years, percent 6.7%
Persons under 18 years, percent 21.8%
Persons 65 years and over, percent 13.2%
Female persons, percent 49.9%
Race and Hispanic Origin
White alone, percent 53.4%
Black or African American alone, percent(a) 32.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, percent(a) 0.6%
Asian alone, percent(a) 1.9%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, percent(a) 0.0%
Two or More Races, percent 4.7%
Hispanic or Latino, percent(b) 15.7%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino, percent 46.4%
Population Characteristics
Veterans, 2016-20202678
Foreign born persons, percent, 2016-202016.6%
Housing
Owner-occupied housing unit rate, 2016-202044.0%
Median value of owner-occupied housing units, 2016-2020$310,100
Median selected monthly owner costs -with a mortgage, 2016-2020$1,856
Median selected monthly owner costs -without a mortgage, 2016-2020$526
Median gross rent, 2016-2020$1,145
Families & Living Arrangements
Households, 2016-202024148
Persons per household, 2016-20202.39
Living in same house 1 year ago, percent of persons age 1 year+, 2016-202077.9%
Language other than English spoken at home, percent of persons age 5 years+, 2016-202023.7%
Computer and Internet Use
Households with a computer, percent, 2016-202095.1%
Households with a broadband Internet subscription, percent, 2016-202086.6%
Education
High school graduate or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-202088.6%
Bachelor’s degree or higher, percent of persons age 25 years+, 2016-202044.0%
Health
With a disability, under age 65 years, percent, 2016-20206.3%
Persons without health insurance, under age 65 years, percent 20.2%
Economy
In civilian labor force, total, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-202067.2%
In civilian labor force, female, percent of population age 16 years+, 2016-202061.2%
Total accommodation and food services sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)264544
Total health care and social assistance receipts/revenue, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1584232
Total manufacturers shipments, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1129407
Total retail sales, 2012 ($1,000)(c)1976915
Total retail sales per capita, 2012(c)$33,875
Transportation
Mean travel time to work (minutes), workers age 16 years+, 2016-202028.5
Income & Poverty
Median household income (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020$59,594
Per capita income in past 12 months (in 2020 dollars), 2016-2020$36,112
Persons in poverty, percent 14.1%

Businesses

All firms, 201210501
Men-owned firms, 20124934
Women-owned firms, 20124186
Minority-owned firms, 20124286
Nonminority-owned firms, 20125502
Veteran-owned firms, 20121015
Nonveteran-owned firms, 20128663

Geography

Population per square mile, 20102451.4
Land area in square miles, 201023.08