Georgia has two kinds of vehicular homicide charges: first-degree and second-degree. Second-degree vehicular homicide is the less serious of the two charges. First-degree vehicular homicide is the most serious and requires that the driver has violated specific laws in addition to the act of homicide by vehicle. Some of those laws include hit-and-run, attempted law enforcement elusion, reckless driving, and passing or overtaking a school bus. If convicted, the penalties for first-degree vehicular homicide can be pretty stiff. This includes a sentence of three to fifteen years in state prison. If the driver is considered a habitual violator, that sentence can be from five to twenty years in prison.
11 Alive reports that authorities have made an arrest in the case of a fatal Sandy Springs hit-and-run.
The crash happened just before 6 p.m. on Glenridge Drive north of Interstate 285 in Sandy Springs. Police were called to the scene of an accident that involved a bicyclist.
Police found the victim, a 57-year-old male at the scene. He ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
An investigation revealed that a white pickup truck was responsible for the crash and the driver had fled the scene.
The Sandy Springs Police Department was able to identify the driver the next day. 42-year-old Leonardo Angulos Banos was taken into custody in the are of Hope Road and Norcross Road without incident.
Banos is facing charges of first-degree vehicular homicide, felony hit-and-run, reckless driving, distracted driving, and failure to maintain lane. There may be other charges based upon the outcome of the investigation.
Banos is being held at the Fulton County Jail.
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