ATLANTA — The family of a man killed after police say a former Jonesboro officer hit him and left the scene want to know if he got preferential treatment.
Abari Meade died after he was involved in two hit-and-run incidents within minutes of each other in downtown Atlanta.
“It’s tough. It’s tough. It’s really hard,” Abari’s uncle, Desmond Meade, told Channel 2′s Tom Jones. The uncle says his family is having a tough time dealing with the death of his nephew.
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They’re also bothered by the background of the person accused of ending his life.
“That’s the disturbing part for me personally and the rest of the family. Understanding that Mr. Newsom was a former police officer,” Desmond Meade told Channel 2 Action News.
Former Jonesboro police officer Godreque Newsom faces felony vehicular homicide, felony hit-and-run, reckless driving and speeding.
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Abari Meade had been out with friends May 26. Around midnight, a car hit his car on the connector near 17th Street.
“That car left the scene,” Abari’s uncle pointed out.
Abari Meade Facetimed his mother and she told him to call 911.
Police say as Abari waited on officers, Newsom’s Suburban went from the I-75 northbound lanes to the I-85 northbound lanes and hit him. Officers say Newsom was going 80 miles per hour in a 55-mile-per-hour zone.
They say Newsom ran from the scene. Leaving behind his Chevrolet Suburban where officers say they found blood on the airbag.
Police say four days later, Newsom called them saying he was involved in the deadly collision.
Abari’s family says Newsom was allowed to turn himself in, six days after that.
“He was allowed, given time to turn himself in. Given time to put his legal team together, while during this whole time, the family is mourning Abari’s death,” Desmond Meade said.
The family wants justice.
They wonder what Newsom was trying to hide by leaving the scene. And for him to just leave my nephew on the side of the road to die is pretty much unacceptable,” Meade said.
Jones reached out to APD for comment and they provided the following statement:
“Investigators identified Newsom as the suspect in this case and were able to obtain warrants for his arrest on June 4, 2024. Contact was made with Newsom and his attorney, to advise Newsom he had warrants for his arrest and to work to take Newsom into custody. On June 6, 2024, Newsom turned himself in to the Fulton County Jail.
In a case where a suspect and their attorney are communicating with investigators, investigators will often attempt to have the suspect surrender to police once warrants are obtained. As that effort is being made, investigators also begin preparing for the possibility the suspect attempts to delay the process or will not surrender. In these cases, our Fugitive Unit would likely be engaged to execute a warrant operation. The goal is to apprehend the suspect in the safest manner possible.”
Newsom is currently being held without bond.
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