Acworth man convicted for death of woman along I-85 in DeKalb County
Jasmine Gaither, 31, died at Grady Hospital early morning of Dec. 4, 2021 after being hit on I-85.
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - An Acworth man was convicted earlier this month in the death of a 31-year-old woman walking along a busy DeKalb County interstate in 2021.
Lester Rodriguez-Cabrera, 42, was found guilty of reckless driving, driving while license suspended or revoked, hit-and-run resulting in serious injury or death, and two counts of vehicular homicide in the first degree on June 2. He was also convicted of hit-and-run in connection to the death of 31-year-old Jasmine Gaither.
Prosecutors say Rodriguez-Cabrera was driving his pickup truck at more than 100 mph along Interstate 85 southbound when he weaved into another lane, clipping a car. That send the vehicle into the median and back into the same vehicles before crossing all lanes of traffic and striking Gaither, who was standing on the shoulder near North Druid Hills Road.
Gaither could not get out of the way in time. A witness said the Rodriguez-Cabrera then got out and took off running into the woods.
He was later arrested.
Rodriguez-Cabrera was sentenced to 15 years for the felony counts and 24 months for the two misdemeanors to run consecutively.