Second hit-and-run pedestrian fatality in Marietta within two days

Marietta experienced its second hit-and-run pedestrian fatality in a two-day period, this time on Delk Road, and like the incident earlier this week also resulted in an arrest.

[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]

Ofc. Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department described the incident as follows in a public information release:

The Marietta Police Department (MPD) Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) Unit is currently investigating another fatal pedestrian crash. This one occurred on November 16, 2021, at approximately 8:50 PM in front of the entrance to the Shell gas station located at 2365 Delk Road.

The on-scene investigation revealed that fifty-eight-year-old Debra Jones of Marietta was attempting to cross Delk Road outside of a crosswalk with her two elementary-school-aged grandchildren. Jones stepped into the roadway first and was struck by an unknown vehicle. The grandchildren were not injured. The suspect driver did not stop to render aid or report the incident. Jones was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital where she was pronounced deceased.
Sixty-three-year-old [name redacted by the Courier] of Dunwoody contacted the Marietta Police Department approximately thirty minutes later and stated he may have struck something or someone on Delk Road with his 2013 Kia Sorento. [name redacted by the Courier] stated when he arrived at his residence in Dunwoody, he found damage to his vehicle. Dunwoody police assisted MPD STEP investigators and [name redacted by the Courier] was taken into custody. He was charged with Felony Hit and Run and booked into the Cobb County Adult Detention Center. Additional charges may be filed pending the outcome of the investigation.

Anyone with information related to this crash is asked to contact STEP officer Gunkle at (770) 794-5357.

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

2019 Population Estimates 60,867

Source: Vintage 2019 Population Estimates

Median Household Income $ 57,452

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons in poverty, percent 14.0 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Educational Attainment: Percent high school graduate or higher 87.7 %

Source: 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates

Persons without health insurance, percent 18.1 %