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Hickey indicted for vehicular homicide
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HICKEY
Johnny Lynn Hickey, 52, of Liberty, was indicted on one count of vehicular homicide, two counts of vehicular assault, and driving under the influence.Hickey was arrested on Dec. 3 and charged in connection with a June 23 crash on Snow Hill that injured two people and cost one man his life.The vehicular homicide charge came after the death of 30-year-old Chris Gammons at Erlanger Hospital in Chattanooga on July 9.Gammons was in the passenger seat of a 2002 Nissan Altima driven by his wife, 32-year-old Cleva Elaine Gammons, along with Troy Bruno, who was reportedly riding in the back seat of the vehicle, when a 2004 F350 driven by Hickey allegedly crossed the turning lane near the Dale Ridge Road intersection and slammed into the Altima.The accident occurred just before 3:30 a.m.Chris Gammons was ejected from the Nissan, landing on the highway in front of the vehicle.Bruno was trapped in the backseat and was extricated by members of the DeKalb County Volunteer Fire Department's Extrication and Rescue Team.Gammons and Bruno were both airlifted after the crash.The other person injured in the wreck was 32-year-old Cleva Elaine Gammons of Smithville, wife of Chris Gammons. Hickey was not hurt.Cleva Elaine Gammons was transported to DeKalb Community Hospital, where her injuries were treated before she was released.Hickey allegedly admitted to officers on the scene that he had consumed four beers.After allegedly performing poorly on field sobriety tasks, Hickey was taken to the emergency room of the DeKalb community Hospital for a blood alcohol test and then to the sheriff's department to be booked.The vehicular homicide indictment against Hickey alleges that he “killed Chris Gammons by the operation of the motor vehicle, and that the killing was the proximate result of Hickey's intoxication, constituting the offense of vehicular homicide.”The vehicular assault indictments allege that Hickey “recklessly did cause serious bodily injury to Cleva Gammons and Troy Bruno by the operation of a motor vehicle, and the serious bodily injury was the proximate result of Hickey's intoxication, constituting the offense of vehicular assault.”The DUI indictment alleges that Hickey “unlawfully did, while under the influence of an intoxicant and/or drugs, drive or was in physical control of an automobile or other motor-driven vehicle upon the public roads and highways... constituting the offense of driving under the influence of an intoxicant and/or drug, first offense.”His bond was set at $15,000 and he was scheduled to appear for arraignment in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Dec. 10.