A woman was indicted this week, accused of leading state troopers on a high-speed chase that ended in a 19-year-old’s death in the Little Five Points neighborhood.
Faduma Mohamed, 24, was indicted Tuesday on charges of felony murder, four counts of first-degree vehicular homicide, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, three counts of driving under the influence, reckless driving and possession of methamphetamine in the April 14 incident, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced. A trial date has not been set, and the Stone Mountain woman remains at the DeKalb jail.
The pursuit came to an end after Mohamed ran a red light at the intersection of Moreland and Euclid avenues and struck Cooper Schoenke’s car, authorities said at the time. Schoenke died at the scene.
The Georgia State Patrol previously said troopers saw a Chevrolet Equinox speeding and “making erratic lane changes” on I-20 eastbound near the Boulevard exit just before 8 p.m. Officials tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped away, triggering the pursuit, according to the GSP.
Mohamed exited onto Moreland Avenue, where she continued through traffic at high speeds, “making reckless lane changes and passing other vehicles in the center turn lane,” the state patrol said. The DA’s office stated the high-speed chase continued for nearly 2 miles.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
She then ran a red light, barreling into Schoenke’s Honda Accord, according to the district attorney. The Honda then crashed into the side of the Little Five Corner Tavern.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has reached out to the Georgia Public Defender Council for a comment from Mohamed’s attorney.
The incident prompted discussions among local and state officials about police pursuits that end in collisions.
In the days following the death, Rep. Sandra Scott, D-Rex, and other lawmakers and advocates called on Gov. Brian Kemp to issue an executive order that would change the state patrol’s pursuit policy.
The governor’s office issued a statement at the time defending the state patrol and said those calling for changes have their facts wrong. The statement described the death as “heartbreaking,” but the governor’s spokesperson placed the blame on the driver who fled.
An investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution found the GSP’s pursuit policy is one of the most permissive in the country. It does not clearly outline a supervisor’s role during a pursuit and leaves many decisions up to individual troopers, including when to initiate or terminate a chase.
“Every life is precious, and any life lost during the course of ensuring public safety is tragic and heartbreaking,” a GSP spokesperson said previously. “The Department of Public Safety protects Georgians by ensuring our members use good judgment and act within the bounds of policy and law.”
After the case is assigned to a Superior Court judge and Mohamed has been arraigned, a trial date may be set, according to the district attorney’s office.
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