Driver sentenced in 2023 Labor Day crash that killed five teens on I-85 in Gwinnett County
Emanuel Rene Esfahani
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - The Hiram man accused in a 2023 Labor Day crash that claimed the lives of five teenagers has been convicted and sentenced.
The backstory:
Emanuel Rene Esfahani was arrested on Sept. 26, 2023, just 22 days after the deadly crash along State Route 316 at the merge onto Interstate 85 southbound. According to investigators, two vehicles were following the curve onto the interstate when one of the drivers lost control, causing a collision.
Gwinnett County investigators determined Esfahani, who was driving an Infiniti G35, was racing the driver of a Toyota Tacoma, who had five people inside. The two vehicles reached speeds exceeding 100 mph on the ramp, causing the Tacoma to go over the retaining wall.
Emanuel Rene Esfahani
The crash claimed the lives of the driver and four teenage passengers, ages 16 to 19, three of whom attended Lakeside High School.
Esfahani was charged with five felony counts of homicide by vehicle in the first degree; reckless driving; racing on highways; speeding; failure to maintain a lane; and a seat belt violation.
What we know:
According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office, Esfahani has been sentenced to 30 years, 16 of which will be spent behind bars and the remainder on probation.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not clarified which exact charges Esfahani was convicted of or whether he accepted a plea agreement.
The Source: The details in this article come from the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.