In court on Wednesday, a DeKalb County high school student, who is accused of causing a fatal DUI crash that resulted in the death of her best friend, appeared before a judge.
Hannah Hackemeyer, an 18-year-old, made an appearance on a video feed during her bond hearing. She is facing charges of felony homicide by vehicle along with three misdemeanors, including driving under the influence, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane.
The judge set a bond of $23,000, with $20,000 allocated for the homicide charge and $1,000 for each of the three misdemeanors.
On February 24, a tragic incident occurred on Oak Grove Road that resulted in the loss of Sophie Lekiachvilli, a student from Lakeside High School. Another student was also injured in the crash. According to the police, Hackemeyer was driving at a high speed when she lost control of the vehicle, causing it to overturn and collide with a tree.
If Hackemeyer is convicted, she could potentially be sentenced to a maximum of 15 years in jail, as stated by an attorney who is not directly involved in the case.
According to attorney Bruce Hagen, although she may not have had the intention to kill the individual, she still possessed the necessary intent. She was fully aware of her actions while under the influence of alcohol and knew that driving the car was a violation of the law.
According to an agreement reached with the District Attorney, Hackemeyer will be subject to certain conditions if she is granted release on bond. These conditions include a curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., as well as strict prohibitions against driving or consuming alcohol and drugs.
