Driver was DUI in wrong-way I-20 crash that killed Doraville cop, police say

By Mike Morris and David Ibata

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A 39-year-old Dunwoody man was charged Tuesday with vehicular homicide and driving under the influence in a wrong-way crash that killed a police detective on I-20 in DeKalb County, authorities said.

Channel 2 Action News Robert Wilson is survived by his wife, Katy, and son, Liam.

Enlarge photo

John Spink, jspink@ajc.com Traffic is backed up on I-20 in DeKalb waiting for the scene to be cleared.

Enlarge photo

John Spink, jspink@ajc.com One of the damaged cars sits on top of a wrecker.

Related

• Man posts bond in crash that killed cop

More DeKalb County news »

• Suicide call leads to pot bust
• Road work shifts into high gear
• DeKalb officer arrested
• Questions continue about air packs
• Ga. Perimeter plans layoffs

Gene Jones also was charged with reckless driving and driving on the wrong side of the road in the accident early Monday that killed Doraville police Detective Robert Wilson, according to the DeKalb County Police Department.

Jones remained hospitalized Tuesday afternoon, DeKalb police spokeswoman Mekka S. Parish said.

Doraville police spokesman Gene Callaway told the AJC that Wilson was the overnight on-call detective and was responding to a home invasion in progress call at the time of the wreck.

Wilson, 27, was westbound on I-20 near Wesley Chapel Road when his Ford Edge was hit head-on by a Jeep Laredo being driven eastbound in the westbound lanes by Jones, police said.

Wilson died at the scene, and Jones was taken in stable condition to a local hospital, police said.

Callaway said Wilson started with the department as a dispatcher in 2003 and became a sworn officer in 2007. He was promoted to detective corporal in September, Callaway said.

Wilson is survived by his wife, Katy, and son, Liam. Other survivors include Wilson’s mother, retired DeKalb police Officer Gail Hanson, and father, J.D. Wilson.

Visitation for Wilson will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in Scott Ward Funeral Home, Conyers. His funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday in the First Baptist Church of Conyers.