ATLANTA — The man accused of running a red light during a chase and then hitting another car, killing a driver, is facing a murder charge in the case.
The Georgia State Patrol said a trooper chased 31-year-old Ryan Hicks on Friday. Authorities said he ran a red light in Atlanta's Ben Hill neighborhood and crashed into 43-year-old Tamara Taylor's car.
She tragically died from her injuries. Taylor's family said she was a mother of three who loved her children more than anything. They said the crash happened while she was driving home after getting something to eat.
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Photos | Tamara Taylor
Witnesses said they've never seen a wreck this awful.
“I’ve never seen something hit so hard, I’ve never seen nothing like that," said Lauren Webb, who was working at Greenbrier Animal Hospital on Friday.
GSP said the crash happened near the intersection of Campbellton and Barge roads and as Taylor was turning left, Hicks hit her car.
"Engine came out the car, she was ejected from the car," Webb said.
GSP said Hicks was arrested at the scene.
"And the crazy thing, he didn't look like anything had happened to him while he was getting arrested," said Webb.
According to GSP, days earlier, Hicks' truck had been in a pursuit with Atlanta Police officers. On that Friday, they said APD tried pulling over the vehicle right before 3 p.m. A GSP trooper responded to the area of Martin Luther King Jr. Drive at Fairburn Road, but Hicks refused to stop, starting the chase. APD backed off as the trooper continued on.
"I wish they would’ve caught him earlier before he got down here got to this to prevent this from happening, could've saved a life," Webb said.
Hicks is facing 18 charges, including felony murder and vehicular homicide. A judge denied him bond because of the nature of the charges in the case.
Taylor's family shared an online fundraiser to help with funeral expenses.
"My mother was a good parent. She didn’t deserve to be on that accident at all," the fundraiser said. "Please help us raise this money."