AUSTELL, Ga. — Police say an injured Good Samaritan helped investigators identify the suspect vehicle in a hit-and-run.
The incident happened just before 11 p.m. near Cardell Road on Tuesday.
According to the Cobb County Police Department, a white 2005 Honda Accord, driven by Deborah K. Wright, 63, of Austell had stopped in the southbound lane of Cardell Road due to car-related issues.
Now the man believed to be responsible, Anthony Sarfo, 43 of Austell, is behind bars.
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Officials said Wright was sitting in the driver’s seat, with the door opened and her legs outside the car.
A good Samaritan, Keith D. Paine, 53, of Austell, lived near the incident and came to help Wright, police said.
Moments later, a black 2008 Lexus 46 was traveling southbound on Cardell Road and collided with the back left side of the Honda.
Cobb investigators told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden that Paine was seriously injured as he was hit by either the Honda or the Lexus.
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Emergency responders took Paine to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital to treat his injuries. Paine was diagnosed with a life-threatening head injury and a collapsed lung.
Investigators told Channel 2 Action News that before Paine was taken to the hospital, he was able to tell officers crucial information about the suspect vehicle.
This led authorities to find the Lexus at a home on Malvin Drive in Austell.
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Sarfo was taken to the Cobb Hospital due to injuries sustained in the crash, then arrested and transported to the Cobb Adult Detention Center.
Antoinette Salen, a neighbor, told Channel 2 Action News that the hit and run didn’t surprise her.
“People always speed down here and then the roads are so narrow and everything, and then there’s that bend up there,” Salen said. “I’ve been here for years so I’m cautious. It’s absolutely pitch black out here at night.”
Sarfo now faces multiple felony charges, and an arrest affidavit accuses him of tampering with evidence after the crash.
According to police documents, Sarfo parked his car behind his house, removed the license plate, and took out all of the open bottles of alcohol from the inside of his car, earning the additional charge for tampering.
Channel 2 Action News stopped by an address listed as Sarfo’s home to see if any family would provide a statement or contact information for Sarfo’s attorney, but no one was home.
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