Pregnant woman loses unborn child after suspected DUI crash, police say
MORROW, Ga. - The Morrow Police Department said a 19-year-old pregnant woman is hospitalized in critical condition and her unborn child died after she was involved in a car crash in Morrow.
Police said she was a passenger in a car struck by a Ford F-150 driven by 32-year-old Jeffrey Cordell Fulks, who faces charges of DUI, vehicular feticide, serious injury by vehicle and failure to obey a traffic control device.
The crash was one of two involving DUI charges that occurred hours apart on Jan. 30 in Morrow.
Police said it was 1:55 a.m. when police went to the scene near the intersection of Morrow Road and Jonesboro Road.
Police said Fulks was driving under the influence of alcohol south on Jonesboro Road and ran a red light. Fulks crashed into a 2015 Chevrolet Cruise driven by Emanuel Cortes Acoltzi with 19-year-old Ashley Acosta inside.
The F-150 crashed into the Chevy Cruise, which was crossing Jonesboro Road to Morrow Road, police said. The Chevy Cruise went across the intersection, over the sidewalk and into a pole, investigators said. The F-150 went over a sidewalk and through bushes before resting at a gas station parking lot.
Morrow police requested assistance from the Georgia State Patrol and arrested Fulks at the scene.
Police said Acosta was seven months pregnant and is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Acoltzi and Fulks have minor injuries.
Police said officers responded to a report of another crash at 3:30 a.m. on Reynolds Road near Patricia Drive.
Police said 28-year-old South Carolina resident Adam Sebastian Hernandez was driving south on Reynolds Road in a 2005 Dodge Dakota, crossed the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with 31-year-old Forest Park resident Nykeeta Young.
Young was transported to a hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators believe Hernandez was driving under the influence of alcohol. Hernandez was arrested at the scene and faces DUI, driving while unlicensed, driving on the wrong side of the road and driving with an open container of alcohol
Hernandez remains at Clayton County Jail.
"These cases are reminders of the tragic consequences of a decision to drive impaired," Morrow Police Chief Renan Lopez said. "Death, injuries, damage, and life-long memories of these horrific events are terrible scars that will be carried by the individuals involved and by our community. Our thoughts are with the families of those touched by these completely preventable acts."