Man in wheelchair killed in Gainesville hit-and-run; driver arrested

A 61-year-old man was killed Monday morning when a driver hit him and his companion as she pushed his wheelchair across a Gainesville street, police said.

Officers got the call about the crash around 11 a.m. It happened as the pair crossed Academy Street in the downtown area.

Police said Linda Tench, 77, was pushing Phillip Adams’ wheelchair in the designated crosswalk when a driver failed to stop for them and then drove away. Both victims were rushed to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in critical condition.

Adams did not survive and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Tench was said to be stable but remained hospitalized, authorities said Monday evening.

Investigators later identified the driver as Janet Villanueva, 29, of Gainesville. She was arrested and booked into the Hall County jail on several charges, including first-degree vehicular homicide, serious injury by motor vehicle, felony hit-and-run, failure to yield right of way to pedestrian in a crosswalk and a charge related to the driver failing to exercise due regard.

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