A teenager and two parents are facing felonies in connection to a crash that resulted in the death of an 18-year-old Georgia girl.
Hannah Hackemeyer, 18, the driver in the fatal crash, has been charged with three counts of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence, according to DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. Her friends’ parents, Sumanth Rao, 50, and Anindita Rao, 49, face involuntary manslaughter charges for allegedly allowing the teens to drink prior to the accident that resulted in Sophia Lekiachvili’s death.
Prosecutors argued that Hackemeyer, Lekiachvili, and Anaya Ray were drinking at the Rao home on the night of February 23 into February 24, with the parents’ approval. Boston said the Rao residence was known as a “party house,” where underage drinking frequently occurred.
FOX 5 Atlanta reports that prosecutors also alleged that the teens drank a bottle of wine before driving. Hackemeyer drove with Lekiachvili in the front passenger seat and Rao in the back, while an open bottle of wine remained in the car.
Police said Hackemeyer was speeding in the Mazda CX-5 at nearly 100 mph when she lost control and rolled the vehicle.
Hackemeyer and Rao crawled out of the vehicle. First responders quickly arrived and discovered Lekiachvili trapped in the passenger seat. They freed her and rushed her to the hospital, where she ultimately died from her injuries.
An investigation revealed that Hackemeyer allegedly had a Blood Alcohol Concentration of 0.046, which is more than double the legal limit for those under 21.
“This crash was a foreseeable consequence of allowing underage drinking in their home and worse — allowing someone who they knew had consumed alcohol — to drive,” Boston said in a statement.
“We recognize that prosecuting these cases will not bring Sophia back, but we hope that by pursing justice in her death, we may prevent future tragedies.”
Ananya Rao is not facing charges, while Hackemeyer was released on a $25,500 bond.
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[Feature Photo: Sophia/Family Handout]
