A Clayton County man who was driving drunk has been convicted in the hit-and-run death of a Fulton County middle school student.
On Thursday, a jury convicted Gatha Dyer, 44, on charges of homicide by vehicle, DUI and reckless driving in connection with the death of 11-year-old Patrick Williams, a student at McNair Middle School.
Last April 1, Patrick Williams was walking in the area of Boulder Park Drive near the intersection of Brownlee Road in Southwest Atlanta. He was walking with several young children who had already crossed the street. As Patrick attempted to cross, Dyer came speeding through the area behind the wheel of 1997 Mitsubishi Eclipse and hit the child, according to Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard.
The force of the impact sent Patrick airborne 53 feet before crashing onto the windshield of the car and then landing on the ground, Howard said in a statement. The child died at the scene.
After hitting Patrick, Dyer slowed briefly and then sped away, according to Howard. A passenger in his car testified at trial that he urged Dyer to stop, but he refused because he had ‘been drinking,’ Howard said.
A witness followed Dyer’s car long enough to capture his license plate and contact police, Howard said. Dyer was tracked to his home in Clayton County and arrested. Dyer had three prior DUI convictions and was on probation for a 2010 DUI charge from Cobb County at the time of the hit and run, Howard said.
Dyer is set to be sentenced Monday. He faces a possible sentence of 15 years.
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