Valdosta man charged in Cook child's death

Terry Richards, The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
·1 min read

Oct. 21—ADEL — Authorities charged a Valdosta man in a Cook County child's death, a state trooper said.

At 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Georgia State Patrol was dispatched to B.B. Bennett Road in Cook County, said Gavin Lee, a trooper with the state patrol's Tifton post.

A 6-year-old child, identified as Graham Emrich, was declared dead at the scene, Lee said. The boy had been on a four-wheeler turning into a driveway at the time of the accident, the trooper said.

The boy's grandfather was riding another vehicle right behind him when the driver of yet another vehicle swerved around the grandfather and hit the child, Lee said. The grandfather rendered aid while the driver fled across farm fields, he said.

The suspect was eventually located at his girlfriend's house in Brooks County, Lee said.

A 34-year-old Valdosta man is charged with vehicular homicide first degree, hit and run, and driving under the influence, Lee said.

Terry Richards is senior reporter at The Valdosta Daily Times.