2 alleged drag racers indicted in children’s deaths
A man and woman accused of illegally drag racing down Moreland Avenue were indicted on three counts of homicide by vehicle and one count of reckless driving, the DeKalb County District Attorney said Wednesday.
Malanie Putman and James Benford reached speeds of more than 90 mph, witnesses said, when they crashed into Cazhara Lovett's car as she turned onto Constitution Road. The April 2015 wreck killed her three children: Lauren Coleman, 3, Jordan Coleman, 4, and Jaylon Coleman, 6.
Drag racing had been a problem in the area, residents told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the time of the crash. Police said it's particularly common in the spring and summer months.
“This was a terrible, terrible tragedy,” District Attorney Robert James said. “And we will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law to prevent something like this from ever happening again.”
Prior to the indictment, Putman and Benford were released on $175,000 and $160,000 bond, respectively.
