A Norcross man is facing a charge of first-degree vehicular homicide after being accused of causing a crash that left a 12-year-old girl dead in DeKalb County, authorities said.
Eric Cirildo Rodriguez, 42, is also being charged with hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death and acquiring a license plate for the purpose of concealing identification of a motor vehicle, according to DeKalb jail records. Amiah Shontae’ Kenney Jackson, a seventh grader at Pinckneyville Middle School, was killed in the wreck.
On Nov. 11, Rodriguez was driving a Range Rover in the left lane of the Ga. 141 access road near Tilly Mill Road in Doraville around 10 p.m., the Georgia State Patrol said.
D’Arrah Jackson, who was in a Toyota Camry with her wife and their daughter Amiah, parked their vehicle on the same road and activated the hazard lights as they waited for their niece, who had a flat tire on the side of the road, the GSP said.
According to an incident report, Rodriguez’s vehicle slammed into the back of Jackson’s car, sending both across a grassy median and into the southbound lanes of Ga. 141.After the violent crash, authorities said Amiah was taken to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite, but she didn’t survive. Her emotional support dog, Noah, also was killed, Jackson told AJC.com.
After the crash, authorities said Rodriguez removed his license plate and ran away. He was eventually arrested and booked into the DeKalb jail.
A GoFundMe page set up to cover the child’s funeral expenses had raised more than $3,800 as of Thursday.
“She was a beautiful soul,” Jackson said of Amiah. “She wanted everybody to love her.”