The man accused of triggering a high-speed, two-county police chase that killed an innocent Gwinnett couple has been indicted on 23 charges, including six new counts of felony murder.
His teenage son was also indicted, but on lesser charges.
According to police accounts and the indictments handed down Wednesday by a Gwinnett grand jury, 47-year-old Larry Thomas and 18-year-old son Jesse were riding through Johns Creek in a white Crown Victoria late on the night of Jan. 28. A police officer attempted to make a traffic stop, but Larry Thomas drove off.
Authorities pursued for about two minutes and four miles -- until the Crown Victoria crashed into a Mercedes Benz near the Gwinnett County intersection of Peachtree Parkway and Jay Bird Alley.
The couple in the Mercedes -- 77-year-old Kryzysztof Krawczynski and 78-year-old Elzbieta Gurtler-Krawczynska, both retired CDC researchers -- was killed.
Both Thomases were treated at Gwinnett Medical Center before being arrested on various charges. Police later reported finding 170 grams of methamphetamine in their car, and that the elder Thomas had a "white powdery substance in his nose."
The charges filed against Larry Thomas originally included two counts of vehicular homicide and various traffic and drug offenses. But the indictment handed down Wednesday -- which references Thomas' nickname of "Scary Larry" -- tacks on even more serious charges.
His charges now include, among others, six counts of felony murder; six counts of homicide by vehicle; fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer; trafficking in methamphetamine; trafficking in morphine, opium or heroin; possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and driving under the influence of drugs. Felony murder can be charged when someone's death allegedly occurs during the commission of a felony, regardless of intent -- each count is predicated on a different underlying crime.
Murder or vehicular homicide charges were not filed against Jesse Thomas. His indictment includes conspiracy to commit a crime and the same drug offenses as his father.
Both Thomases have remained in the Gwinnett County jail since their arrest.
About the Author
