I-85 Atlanta Accident Victim Home from Rehab After Losing Children and Grandchild

Demetrius Randle returned to his Lawrenceville home yesterday after months of in-hospital rehabilitation in Roswell, GA. Though balloons and banners adorned his home as friends and family celebrated his return, memories of loss flooded the minds of the happy but hurting relatives. A survivor of the deadliest I-85 crash in northeast Georgia in more than fifteen years, Randle suffered serious injuries in the March 31 accident involving five vehicles. In the crash, Randle and family members were riding in a limousine from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to their Lawrenceville home when a reckless driver caused the five-car collision and killed four people. Along with the limo driver, 44-year-old Mark Gay, three of Randle’s dearest family members died: his son Alex, 14, daughter Whitney, 21, and infant grandson (Whitney’s son), Kayden.

Randle’s wife waited to tell him the devastating news until about one week ago. Though he remembers the crash, he did not know that he had lost his children and grandchild. During the accident, Randle sustained damage to the frontal lobe of his brain after being ejected from the limousine. His short-term memory, coordination, and communication were negatively affected by the serious injury, but his return home was a relatively healthy one. Though he could not walk, talk, stand, or even sit only a few weeks ago, he is now talking, moving in his wheelchair, and even playing video games. He will continue therapy to work towards walking again.

The 20-year-old Gainesville resident who allegedly caused the tragic accident, Carmon "Cody" Rhoden, is set to appear in court August 1. Currently, he is held without bond at the Gwinnett County Jail for four counts of vehicle homicide, among other citations.

Our law firm handles serious accidents and wrongful death cases such as this.  Call 770-577-3020 for a free consultation.