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85-year-old Cobb driver hits and kills man pushing broken-down car

A 45-year-old Alabama man was killed while pushing a disabled car along Johnson Ferry Road at Hampton Farms Drive.
A 45-year-old Alabama man was killed while pushing a disabled car along Johnson Ferry Road at Hampton Farms Drive.
By Ben Brasch
May 2, 2017

Police say they expect charges to be filed in a crash that killed one man and seriously injured another Monday when an 85-year-old Marietta driver struck them on the side of the road.

Gwendolyn Matthews steered the black 2006 Dodge Magnum as Robert Matthews Jr. and Kevin Fullerton pushed it off Johnson Ferry Road near Hampton Farms Drive in south Marietta, according to Cobb County police.

Bruce Meacham was driving a blue 2007 Mazda 3 north in the left lane of Johnson Ferry Road about 8:45 p.m. when he struck the men pushing the broken-down black car, police said.

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Robert Matthews, 45, of Phenix City, Alabama, died at the scene. Fullerton, 49, of Sandy Springs, was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries.

Gwendolyn Matthews, 43, also of Phenix City, was not injured.

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Meacham was not injured in the collision.

If you have any information for detectives about their investigation, you can call them at 770-499-3987.

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In other news:

Brothers James Pratt, 18, and Joseph Pratt, 14, were on their way to the dentist when the crash happened. Both teens went to Lassiter High School in Marietta.

About the Author

Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.

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