The lunch hour is a busy time at the Paulding County Courthouse. It’s when many people stop by just long enough to pay for license plate tags or apply for a permit. Friday afternoon was no different.
But around 12:45, the sidewalk outside the courthouse was where a Lincoln Town Car finally stopped after it jumped a curb, struck the building and hit five people on the sidewalk, according to the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.
One woman was killed and four other people injured when an 81-year-old woman lost control of the car, possibly mistaking the gas pedal for the brake, police said. Investigators believe Marlene Wilbur, 81, of Marietta, was attempting to park when she instead struck three adults and two infants.
Hours later, Wilburn was arrested and charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor charge, according to the Georgia State Patrol. She was booked into the Paulding jail, Tracey Watson with the GSP said, and released on a signature bond.
Linda Jones, 71, of Rockmart, was critically injured and later died after being taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital, according to the GSP.
A second woman, Yesica M. Arreguin, had a 5-month-old in an infant seat and was holding the child’s twin. The two babies, Louisa and Santiago, were taken for observation only and were not injured, Henson said. Arreguin, 35, of a Douglasville address, appeared to have injuries to her legs. All three were taken to Kennestone.
A third person on the sidewalk, Kenneth Earl Bennett, 60, of Dallas, was also hit and taken to WellStar Paulding Hospital for evaluation, Cpl. Ashley Henson with the Sheriff’s Office said.
Wilbur was not seriously injured and was speaking with investigators outside the Dallas courthouse, located on Constitution Drive off Ga. 278. She was later taken to the Paulding hospital for evaluation, police said.
Ronald Dborak, a hotdog vendor, was inside the building when the crash happened and saw people gathered on the sidewalk as emergency responders arrived. He also saw the driver still in her car.
“She was crying,” Dborak said. “She must’ve hit the accelerator pedal instead of the brake and panicked, I guess.”
Deputies were questioning numerous witnesses Friday afternoon and the State Patrol later took over the investigation, charging Wilbur. Wilbur was released on a signature bond, Henson said Friday night.
No information was available on why Wilbur was at the courthouse. Address records show she has relatives who live in Paulding County.
— Photojournalist Ben Gray contributed to this report.
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