The Dunwoody Police Department has announced the arrest of an Atlanta man following a suspected DUI crash that resulted in the death of an 8-year-old girl.
According to police, the fatal collision occurred at approximately 9:25 p.m. on Saturday on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard near the Lacota Apartments. Investigators reported that a Honda Civic was exiting the complex when it was struck by a northbound Toyota Tacoma. The impact led to the death of an 8-year-old passenger in the Civic. The driver, suspected of being intoxicated, attempted to flee but was apprehended nearby and taken into custody. Authorities have withheld the child’s name pending family notification, and investigations are ongoing.
The Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety states that in 2023, alcohol-impaired driving accounted for 402 fatalities, representing about 22% of all traffic deaths in the state. DUI-related incidents remain a significant cause of preventable deaths among minors and young passengers.
Nationally, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration indicates that drunk driving resulted in 13,524 fatalities in 2022, marking a 14% increase over five years. Among these were more than 200 children under age 14, underscoring the ongoing risk impaired drivers pose to road safety.
The Dunwoody Police Department, established in 2009 and based in Dunwoody, Georgia, serves DeKalb County’s suburban community. It emphasizes community policing and traffic enforcement while collaborating with state and federal agencies to address violent and traffic-related crimes throughout Metro Atlanta.
