A driver is in custody after a deadly hit-and-run crash on Killian Hill Road in Gwinnett County, Georgia, that killed one pedestrian and seriously injured another. According to the Gwinnett County Police Department, the crash happened shortly before 4 a.m. on Sunday in the center turn lane of Killian Hill Road. Investigators say two pedestrians were working on a disabled vehicle in the lane when a passing car struck them. Salvador Vargas-Pablo, 41, died at the scene. The second pedestrian was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries. Police say the driver did not stay at the scene. Detectives identified the vehicle as a beige Honda Odyssey and used Flock Safety camera footage to identify the driver as Trudon Kassansa, partly through a sticker visible on the vehicle's rear window. Officers arrested Kassansa in Lilburn. He faces charges of first-degree homicide by vehicle, serious injury by vehicle, two counts of hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death, and operating a vehicle without two functioning headlights. The investigation is ongoing, and police are asking anyone with information to contact the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Location and Infrastructure

Killian Hill Road is a well-traveled corridor in southern Gwinnett County that serves the Lilburn area and connects residential neighborhoods with nearby commercial areas and the greater Snellville and Stone Mountain region. Like many suburban arterial roads in metro Atlanta, portions of Killian Hill Road include a center two-way turn lane. These lanes are meant for vehicles turning left, but drivers sometimes use them as a refuge when a car breaks down. A disabled vehicle in a center lane leaves the people around it exposed to traffic in both directions, with little room to move away. The risk grows in the early morning hours, when it is dark, traffic is lighter, and drivers may travel at higher speeds. Working headlights matter here: Georgia law requires vehicles to use headlamps at night so drivers can see pedestrians and obstacles in the roadway.

Legal Rights and Considerations

Georgia follows an at-fault insurance system, so the driver responsible for a crash and that driver's insurer are generally liable for resulting damages. Georgia requires minimum liability coverage of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury. In hit-and-run cases, injured people and families may also be able to seek benefits through uninsured motorist (UM) coverage, depending on policy terms. Under O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, the statute of limitations for personal injury and wrongful death claims is generally two years, though certain circumstances, such as pending criminal proceedings, may affect deadlines. Georgia's wrongful death statute allows eligible family members to seek the full value of the deceased person's life, and the estate may pursue medical and funeral expenses. Injured people may seek compensation for medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Georgia uses a modified comparative negligence rule (O.C.G.A. § 51-12-33). Criminal charges proceed separately from any civil claim.

Related Resources

Emergency and Public Safety Services

• Gwinnett County Police Department, non-emergency line: (770) 513-5000, www.gwinnettcounty.com/police
• Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services: www.gwinnettcounty.com/fire
• Lilburn Police Department: www.cityoflilburn.com

Traffic Safety Resources

• Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety: www.gohs.ga.gov
• Georgia 511 traffic information (dial 511 or visit www.511ga.org)
• Georgia Department of Transportation: www.dot.ga.gov
• Gwinnett County Department of Transportation: www.gwinnettcounty.com/transportation

Support Services for Crash Victims and Families

• Georgia Crime Victims Compensation Program: (800) 547-0060, crimevictims.ga.gov
• Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office, Victim Witness Program: www.gwinnettcourts.com
• Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Georgia Crisis and Access Line: (800) 715-4225
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 for emotional support

Georgia Traffic Laws and Regulations

• Official Code of Georgia Annotated, free public access: law.justia.com/codes/georgia
• O.C.G.A. § 40-6-270 (duty to stop at the scene of an accident)
• O.C.G.A. § 40-6-393 (homicide by vehicle)
• O.C.G.A. § 40-6-394 (serious injury by vehicle)
• Georgia Department of Driver Services: dds.georgia.gov