Cobb DUI Crash Kills Atlanta Passenger

Cobb County police said a suspected DUI crash on Sandtown Road in southwest Cobb County killed an Atlanta woman and led to felony charges against a Marietta driver. Investigators said the collision happened about 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 4, south of Booth Road, when a Ford F-150 crossed the center line and hit a Honda Odyssey head-on. Keena Pierre, 41, of Atlanta, was pronounced dead at the scene by the Cobb County Medical Examiner, according to police. Another passenger, Katie Stephens, 82, of Marietta, was taken to a hospital with minor injuries, police said. ### Who was charged, and what do police say happened on Sandtown Road? Carlos A. Garcia, 22, of Marietta, was driving a 2007 Ford F-150 north on Sandtown Road when he failed to maintain his lane and entered the southbound lanes, according to the Cobb County Police Department's Selective Traffic Enforcement Program, or STEP, Unit. Police said the pickup entered the path of a 2009 Honda Odyssey driven by a 37-year-old Atlanta man, who tried to avoid the crash by steering left but could not. (11alive.com) The impact caused both vehicles to rotate before stopping in the roadway, police said. Garcia was not injured, and the Honda driver was not reported injured in the police summary carried by local outlets. ### Who was killed and who else was hurt? Keena Pierre, 41, of Atlanta, died at the scene, according to the Cobb County Medical Examiner, as cited by Cobb police. (11alive.com) Katie Stephens, 82, of Marietta, was transported to a hospital with minor injuries, police said. The Honda Odyssey was carrying three people at the time of the crash, according to police accounts published by 11Alive and Fox 5 Atlanta. (11alive.com) The Atlanta man who was driving the minivan attempted to avoid the collision but was unable to do so, police said. ### What charges is Garcia facing? Police said Garcia was arrested after the crash and charged with first-degree felony vehicular homicide, driving under the influence, driving without a valid license, failure to maintain lane and failure to wear a seat belt. (11alive.com) He was being held without bond at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center as of the police account published Wednesday night. Fox 5 Atlanta and 11Alive both reported the charges from Cobb police on Aug. 5. Neither report included a statement from an attorney for Garcia. ### Which Cobb police unit is handling the case? The Cobb County Police Department's STEP Unit is leading the investigation, according to police. (11alive.com) Cobb County says the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program investigates all fatal traffic crashes and focuses enforcement in areas with elevated crash activity. The county also says its DUI Task Force is tasked primarily with apprehending impaired drivers in unincorporated Cobb County. Cobb police asked anyone with information about the Aug. 4 crash to contact the STEP Unit at 770-499-3987, according to the police account published by 11Alive. ### Where can the public look for records or updates? Cobb County says accident reports are generally available two to three business days after an incident and can be obtained through the police department's records process. (cobbcounty.gov) The county's police records pages say crash reports are available to involved parties, attorneys or insurers through the department's system, with broader access subject to Georgia law and county procedures. (11alive.com) As of Thursday, Aug. 6, the crash remained under investigation, according to Cobb police reporting carried by local media. The next public updates are likely to come through the Cobb County Police Department, court filings tied to Garcia's charges, or the release of the accident report through county records channels. (11alive.com) (cobbcounty.gov)