Car Wrecks

Georgia woman indicted for causing crash, injuries while on drugs

The laundry list of charges against a suburban Atlanta woman will take your breath away. The 38-year-old was indicted by a Clarke County grand jury last week on charges related to an alleged hit-and-run car wreck involving injuries last summer. She was reportedly under the influence of several medications at the time, and she had children in her vehicle, police said.

The Winder woman is charged with causing serious injury by motor vehicle, driving under the influence of drugs, as well as endangering a child (two counts), felony leaving the scene of an accident, failure to maintain the lane and reckless driving.

She was headed west on Atlanta Highway near Tall Tree Road when she sideswiped another vehicle. That car then veered off of the road and slammed head-on into a tree. That driver suffered a broken collarbone in the crash.

The Winder woman did not stop to render aid or report the accident, however. Police say she drove on with two 11-year-olds in the car. She later told law enforcement officials that she was unaware that she had been in a wreck.

Police said her speech was slurred at the time. She told police that she had taken medications and she failed a sobriety test.

A blood test revealed that she had taken diphenhydramine, dextromethorphan and chlorpheniramine.

According to WebMD, diphenhydramine and chlorpheniramine are antihistamines and dextromethorphan is a cough suppressant.

People who drive under the influence of over-the-counter or prescription medications can be just as dangerous to motorists and their passengers as drunken drivers.

For those injured in a crash by someone driving under the influence, a conversation with an Atlanta attorney can make your legal options clear.

-Brad Houck

Sun Feb 26, 7:41pm Share on Social Media