The family of a man who died after an alleged hit-and-run driver crashed into his broken-down car on an Atlanta interstate found a small measure of relief Friday when they reached a settlement with the suspect’s insurer, according to their attorney.
The case began May 26 just before midnight when officers were called to the scene of a crash on I-85 North near 17th Street, Atlanta police said. Officers found the driver of a Kia Optima suffering from critical injuries on the shoulder of the interstate. The man was taken to the hospital but did not survive. He was later identified as 27-year-old Abari Meade, according to court documents.
Investigators learned that the Kia was hit by a Chevrolet Suburban traveling north on the Downtown Connector, police said. At the I-75/85 split, the Chevy cut from the I-75 lanes across the triangular buffer area toward the I-85 lanes. It hit the Kia on the right shoulder, police said, and the SUV’s driver left the scene.
About 10 days later, 59-year-old Godreque Newsom turned himself in and was charged with multiple counts, including first-degree homicide by vehicle, police said. Newsom is a veteran of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Atlanta Police Department, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and Jonesboro Police Department, according to his attorney, Bruce Harvey.
Newsom was booked into the Fulton County Jail on June 5 and released about a week later on a $100,000 bond, online records show.
Since then, Newsom has been indicted and waived his arraignment, according to court records. He entered a not guilty plea at a hearing Monday. The court scheduled his trial for June 2, online records show.
Harvey told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution his client denied committing any offense and pointed to Newsom’s career as a law enforcement officer as proof of “his commitment and service to the community.”
The day after Newsom turned himself in, Meade’s family filed a civil lawsuit against him for wrongful death. The family had the case dismissed Friday after reaching a settlement with Newsom’s car insurance company, said Mark Issa, an attorney for the family.
“The family just wants to move on from this,” Issa told the AJC.
While the civil case is closed, Newsom still faces an abandoned motor vehicle case in Fulton magistrate court, according to records. A Chevy Tahoe registered to Newsom was towed May 31, a few days after Meade’s death but before Newsom turned himself in.
Court records show that Newsom was indicted on four charges: two counts of first-degree homicide by vehicle, one count of hit-and-run resulting in death and one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.
According to his obituary, Meade was a native of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, who had a passion for astrology.
“Bari’s warmth, his infectious laughter and his unwavering kindness will be remembered and cherished by all who knew him,” his obituary read.
Meade’s funeral was held June 29 in St. John.
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