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Amazon driver arrested after fatal hit-and-run Tuesday in Cherokee County

By and FOX 5 Atlanta digital team
Updated  November 13, 2024 6:18pm EST
Cherokee County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Amazon driver kills woman, keeps delivering: officials

Cherokee County investigators say a man behind the wheel of an Amazon truck hit and killed a woman who was leaving a nearby cemetery. Instead of stopping, investigators claim 24-year-old London Best kept going. They caught him a distance away, making a delivery.

The Brief

    • A pedestrian was fatally hit in a hit-and-run by an Amazon delivery truck on Cumming Highway near Jordan Lane in Cherokee County around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
    • The Cherokee Sheriff’s deputies found part of a Rivian vehicle at the scene, leading them to suspect an Amazon truck was involved.
    • The suspected truck was later found with matching damage, and the 24-year-old driver, London Best, was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and hit-and-run resulting in death.
    • The victim was identified as 79-year-old Sandra Fitts of Canton, and the investigation is still ongoing.
    • Amazon expressed deep sadness about the incident and stated its intention to support the police investigation, making the driver currently ineligible to deliver for the company.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A pedestrian was fatally struck in a hit-and-run incident Tuesday evening on Cumming Highway near Jordan Lane in Cherokee County, according to authorities. The incident occurred around 6:30 p.m., and sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the scene shortly afterward.

Upon arrival, deputies found evidence suggesting that the vehicle involved was an Amazon delivery truck. While responding, one deputy observed an Amazon truck turning onto Bishop Drive and called for assistance to locate the vehicle. 

"There was evidence in the roadway that this was going to be an Amazon vehicle, a Rivian part. One of the deputies remembered seeing an Amazon truck turn down a nearby roadway," said Capt. Jay Baker, spokesperson for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.

A Canton Police officer later found the truck on Bishop Drive with damage that matched evidence found at the scene of the accident.

Investigators determined that the Amazon delivery truck was indeed the vehicle that struck the pedestrian. The driver, identified as 24-year-old London Best of Alpharetta, was taken into custody and has been charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and hit-and-run resulting in death. He is being held without bond.

"Had he not left the scene, the charges would be different. He likely wouldn't have felonies," Capt. Baker said.

London Best

The victim has been identified as 79-year-old Sandra Fitts of Canton. The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Unit is leading the ongoing investigation into the fatal incident.

Amazon spokesperson Austin Stowe sent the following statement to FOX 5 Atlanta:

"We’re deeply saddened by this incident, and our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. We’ll support local police as they investigate."

Courtesy of Cherokee County Sheriff's Office

The spokesperson also said that the suspect is currently ineligible to deliver for the company, pending the outcome of the investigation. 

The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta spoke with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and an Amazon spokesperson for this article.