DEL.ICIO.USThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/11/08
A Gainesville man was seen drinking beers with a friend shortly before his reckless driving caused a four-fatality wreck on I-85, a Gwinnett County police investigator testified Friday.
At a probable cause hearing for Carmon Cody Rhoden, 20, investigator J.W. Lundgren said he had spoken to about 29 witnesses who saw the crash or the events preceeding it.
 Vino Wong/AJC |
| Molly Dubach-Preston, the grandmother and great-grandmother of members of the Randle family who were killed in the wreck fights back her emotions in the courtroom. |
 Vino Wong/AJC |
| Cody Rhoden, 20, is accused in the quadruple fatality I-85 crash. He's seen here during his probable cause hearing. |
One of those witnesses was a friend of Joshua Kitchens, who went with Rhoden to the Braves home opener March 31 and was riding in Rhoden's red Acura when the wreck happened.
Kitchens' friend said he bumped into the two young men at a Chevrolet exhibit preceeding the game, Lundgren said. The friend said Kitchens was so drunk he was "annihilated," Lundgren testified. Rhoden also drank four or five beers at the exhibition, Lundgren said the friend told him.
Rhoden, wearing a black pinstripe shirt and tattered jeans, took the stand briefly on Friday to ask for bond.
Assistant District Attorney David Fife immediately began drilling him about his knowledge of the wreck.
Rhoden admitted being involved in a collision and then leaving the scene, but said "I wasn't aware the crash was that big."
The accident occurred after Rhoden and Kitchens left the baseball game early to head back to their home in Gainesville, about an hour north of Atlanta.
One motorist traveling on I-85 North near Spaghetti Junction called 911 at 8:41 p.m. and reported seeing a red Acrua speeding and weaving in and out of traffic, Lundgren said. Lundgren estimated Rhoden was traveling at an average speed of 112 mph.
"Some of the witnesses stated they thought he was driving suicidally," Lundgren testified.
Four people were killed in the collision that Rhoden is accused of causing when his Acura clipped a Ford Excursion SUV. The SUV flipped several times, ejecting four passengers and crushing the driver before coming to a rest on its roof.
Rhoden left the scene after the accident. He parked his disabled car at a hotel just off the Indian Trail Road exit ramp and called his father to pick him up. Rhoden's family has said another vehicle struck Rhoden's car first, causing the wreck.
While testifying, Rhoden occasionally glanced toward the back of the courtroom, where two survivors of the crash stood surrounded by about five other friends and loved ones. His face registered no emotion.
Falleen Randle, whose two children and infant grandson were killed in the crash, stood arm-in-arm with about six other family members. Huddled among them was Latavius Finley, fiance to one of the victims and father to the infant.
Killed were the driver of the limo, Mark Anthony Gay, 44, along with Alexander Randle, 14; his sister, Whitney Randle, 21, and Whitney's 13-month-old son, Kayden Alexander Randle-Finley.
Falleen Randle's husband, 45-year-old Demetrius Randle, was still in critical condition Friday with severe head injuries at Gwinnett Medical Center.
Falleen and several female family members started crying and wailing at one point during the investigator's testimony. A deputy stepped forward and warned the group to be quiet or leave the courtroom.
Emotions also ran high among Rhoden's supporters, who filled all three rows of seating in the small courtroom.
When Gwinnett County Magistrate Judge George Hutchinson announced his decision to deny bond, many of them gasped loudly. Rhoden's mother and girlfriend sobbed and his brother exclaimed "what!"
The Randle family slipped quickly out the door and drove away without speaking to reporters.
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