A Stone Mountain woman on Friday pleaded guilty to a crash that killed an Atlanta police officer who was struck while helping another officer.
A Fulton County judge sentenced Ms. Chasity Nichole Jones, 22, to 16 years in prison for vehicular homicide and failure to obey authorized person directing traffic, according to the district attorney’s office.
Senior Officer Gail Thomas was struck and killed on Jan. 24 on Interstate 75 southbound at the Brookwood Interchange.
She had just arrived on the scene to assist another officer with an accident when she was struck.
“As Thomas was attempting to divert traffic away from the previous crash, she was struck by a 1998 Honda Civic driven by Jones,” the district attorney's spokeswoman Ms. Yvette Jones said.
“Officer Thomas was killed on impact. Chasity Jones was arrested at the scene. Her blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit.”
She initially faced a 13-count indictment that included DUI and reckless driving charges, but only pleaded guilty to two of the charges.
Senior Officer Thomas served as a 911 dispatcher for five years before she was an officer. She was also a member of the Atlanta Police Honor Guard. The officer is survived by a daughter.
Her funeral drew hundreds of police from across the country. The horses that pulled Officer Thomas' caisson were the same that pulled former President Ronald Reagan's coffin.
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