Woman convicted in crash that killed UGA grad student

Whitney Baker Howard

Whitney Baker Howard

A North Georgia woman was convicted of several charges in the traffic-related death of a University of Georgia graduate student in 2016, court records show.

Whitney Baker Howard, 32, of Hull, was convicted Tuesday of two counts of vehicular homicide, six counts of serious injury by vehicle, DUI drugs, improper lane change and child endangerment, according to Athens-Clarke County Superior Court records.

Howard drove her Jeep Liberty across the center line in September 2016 and hit Ashley Block, 25, and two other cyclists, police said. The cyclists were on a group ride in Athens organized by The Hub Bicycles of Athens at the time of the crash, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

Howard was under the influence of what were believed to be prescription medications, police said. Her 2-year-old daughter was in the car with her at the time of the crash.

Howard also was charged with DUI in June and August of 2016, the Athens Banner-Herald reported. Because DUI is a misdemeanor in Georgia, judges in those cases had to grant her bond.

A sentencing date for Howard has not been set, according to The Red and Black, a student-run newspaper that covers the university community.

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