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Woman accused of following hit-and-run driver, killing him indicted

Hannah Payne's case was presented to a grand jury Wednesday.

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — The woman accused of tracking down a man involved in a hit-and-run and then killing him during a confrontation has been formally charged by authorities.

The Clayton County District Attorney's Office said Hannah Payne was indicted for malice murder, two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and three counts of possessions of a firearm during the commission of a crime. 

The 21-year-old's case was presented to a grand jury Wednesday.

RELATED: Woman who allegedly pursued and killed man after hit-and-run can be released on bond, judge rules

Credit: Clayton County
Hannah Payne

On May 7, officers said there was a crash on Clark Howell Highway near Interstate-285 where a driver left the scene. Law enforcement said no one was hurt during the crash and there wasn't extensive damage.

Payne, who was not involved in the accident, witnessed the crash and followed the driver, 62-year-old Kenneth Herring, to the corner of Riverdale Road and Forest Parkway, police said.

RELATED: Police say she witnessed a hit-and-run - then followed the driver. Now she's charged with murder.

The crash happened about a mile away from where Payne followed Herring. She called 911 before the encounter turned deadly.

A detective testified at a preliminary hearing last month that Payne told Herring, “Get out of the f*** car. I’m going to shoot you."

Herring was shot and killed.

The detective also testified that a witness said Herring appeared to be in the middle of a medical emergency, “probably like diabetic shock."

Herring’s wife, Christine Herring, described him as a grandfather of three who was a “hardworking man, a good grandfather, a good husband, just a good person all around.”

She said she knows something medically-related must have happened to him.

“I know he was having a diabetic episode. Because he don’t just run off the scene," she said. "I knew he was trying to get to a hospital.”

She said she wants justice for her husband. 

Last month, Payne's defense attorney claimed his client's actions were an act of self-defense in the course of a citizen’s arrest.

RELATED: Shot dead after a hit and run: A witness accused of murder; the victim may have been in diabetic shock

Editor's note: This story has been updated to clarify the location of the initial accident.

 

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