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.
The driver involved in the fatal crash, 18-year-old Hannah Hackemeyer, has been charged with three counts of homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence, as stated by DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston. Sumanth Rao, 50, and Anindita Rao, 49, parents of Hackemeyer’s friends, are facing involuntary manslaughter charges for supposedly permitting the teens to consume alcohol before the tragic accident that led to the death of Sophia Lekiachvili.
According to prosecutors, Hackemeyer, Lekiachvili, and Anaya Ray were drinking at the Rao household on the evening of February 23 up to February 24 with the parents’ consent. District Attorney Boston mentioned that the Rao home was recognized as a “party house” where underage drinking was common.
FOX 5 Atlanta stated that prosecutors also claimed that the teenagers consumed a whole bottle of wine before getting behind the wheel. Hackemeyer drove the car with Lekiachvili in the front passenger seat and Rao in the back, while an open bottle of wine was present in the vehicle.
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]
