Date: February 8, 2012By: Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers

Twenty-two-year-old Chasity Nicole Jones has been criminally charged after an accident killed a veteran Atlanta Police Department (APD) officer, 46-year-old Gail Thomas. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Thomas had stopped to assist another officer at a one-car accident on the ramp from I-75 southbound at I-85 northbound when she was struck by Jones’ car. Thomas had not yet exited her car completely, and died at the scene. Jones consented to a breathalyzer test and blew a .16, twice the Georgia legal limit. 

Jones, of Stone Mountain, has been charged with driving under the influence, first-degree homicide by vehicle, and reckless driving. Jones was booked into the Fulton County Jail and has been denied bond. She had never been arrested, but had allegedly been cited for six traffic violations in the five years previous to this incident. These citations included four for speeding and two for making erratic lane changes. She also failed to show up for court in two of those instances.

Thomas was a Senior Officer with the Atlanta Police Department, and had been working there for almost 20 years. She started as a 911 dispatcher but Atlanta police Chief George Turner convinced her to become an officer. She leaves behind a 22-year-old daughter, currently a Georgia Southern University student. The city has pledged to aid her financially to make sure she is able to finish her college education.

Drunk driving is a serious problem in Georgia and the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 10,228 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in 2010, accounting for 31% of overall fatalities. If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident where another driver was under the influence, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering. Contact a knowledgeable Atlanta DUI accident lawyer to see if you might be able to seek legal recourse. 

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Keywords: Atlanta police officer accident, fatal auto accident