According to a public information release from Officer S.A. Barner of the Cobb County Police Department, the department’s Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.) Unit is investigating a fatal pedestrian collision that took place at the intersection of Austell and Hurt roads on March 3, 2023 at around 12:09 a.m.

According to the public information release, Filiberto Ramirez-Hernandez, 53, Marietta, was crossing Austell Road within the marked crosswalk when he was hit by a silver 2007 Mercedes CLK350 driven by a 39-year-old Atlanta man.

[We redacted the name of the driver since the investigation is ongoing. The Cobb County Courier has a policy of withholding or redacting the name of suspects unless and until the person is convicted in a court of law or enters a plea of guilty. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty, and the internet has no effective way of removing reports of arrest if the person is exonerated. We do make exceptions in high-profile cases or charges against public officials where exoneration is likely to be as widely publicized as the initial arrest]

Ramirez-Hernandez was taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the Mercedes complained of injuries and was not taken to the hospital.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact investigators at 770-499-3987..

The STEP Unit

The STEP Unit, which investigates serious or fatal traffic crashes, is one of the Cobb County Police Department’s Special Operations units, and is described on the web page of the Cobb County Police Department as follows:

“The Selective Traffic Enforcement Unit is responsible for investigating all fatal traffic crashes, enforcement of traffic laws in those areas which analysis indicates an elevated amount of crashes. 

“They are also responsible for the administration and execution of the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. 

“They also take part in special security details, and investigate crashes involving Department vehicles when requested.”