Winder, Ga. – A family in Georgia has been fighting for justice in the death of their teenage daughter for almost two years after she was killed by an impaired driver while riding her bike home.
In August of 2020 17-year-old Obianuju Osuegbu was riding her bike home from work in Winder, Georgia when she was struck by a car from behind.
The police report stated that the driver, 41-year-old Chrissy Rawlins, was high on drugs at the time of the accident. It was later found that she was high on four different drugs. She was charged with a DUI and endangering her own children, who were in the car with her, but not charged with vehicular homicide for the death of Osuegbu.
Now, nearly two years later, a recently released police report is sparking outrage.
The 59-page Georgia State Patrol report states that Rawlins was not at fault because Osuegbu did not have a light on the back of her bike, was not riding on the right-hand side of the road, and was not wearing reflective clothing. Even though the driver was high on multiple drugs when she hit and killed Osuegbu the report still blames Osuegbu for her own death.
Osuegbu’s family attorney, Bruce Hagen, said the responding officer and the GSP Collision Reconstruction team investigating the accident may not be familiar with the Georgia bike laws. Hagen said Georgia laws do not require bikes to have lights as long as they have reflectors, which the 17-year-old’s bike already had on it.
“Specifically right here, vehicles which approach from the rear, any other vehicle or vehicles stopped or slowed to make a lawful turn shall be deemed to be following the purposes of this code section,” Hagen said while referencing the statutes to show what they said about the state’s bike laws.
Hagen went on to say Osuegbu was turning left and had a reflector on her bike.
“The officer made faulty conclusions, misapplying the law to somehow come to the determination Ms. Osuegbu was at fault,” Hagen said.
Hagen and Osuegbu’s family want Rawlins charged with vehicular homicide based on the toxicology report which showed she had four drugs in her system, including methamphetamine and Valium.
“My daughter can not just die in vain and nothing was done about it,” Pauline Osuegbu said.
