COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a Cobb County teenager who was hit by a car while leaving a Christmas light display last year is disappointed with the outcome of the trial for the man accused of killing her.
On Friday, Jerome Cox, 68, was found guilty of misdemeanor charges of homicide by vehicle in the second degree vehicular and failing to exercise due care toward a pedestrian. But Cox was found not guilty of DUI and other driving-related charges.
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Shortly after the verdicts were read, the judge sentenced Cox to the maximum allowed with his misdemeanor charges: one year. But because he has already served 364 days while awaiting trial, he will only have to serve one more day.
Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell spoke with 17-year-old Olivia Pugh’s family and friends after the judge announced Cox’s sentence. Pugh’s brother expressed his disappointment, along with family friends.
“I will never forgive him because I know he doesn’t care,” Pugh’s mother said during victim impact statements.
“In the morning and at night, I have to watch my wife go in my daughter’s undisturbed bedroom and cry for at least half an hour. A driving alcoholic killed my daughter. 12 people couldn’t convict a man with three open beer containers in the passenger of his car of an open container violation or certainly not convict him of DUI less safe. This is not justice, this is not good people doing the right thing,” the victim’s father, Randy Pugh, said.
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On Dec. 8, 2023, Olivia Pugh had just finished watching Christmas lights with her friends along Ben Hill Road in Kennesaw.
During the entire trial, Cox’s attorneys argued the teenager darted out into the road and wasn’t in a crosswalk. They’ve also argued Cox hit Pugh because he didn’t see her, not because he was drinking.
“Three girls actually did exercise due care. They stopped, Olivia decided to run in the path of a car,” defense attorney Kim Frye said during closing arguments.
“We’re really going to go there? We’re going to blame a 17-year-old girl for the actions that man, made December 8, 2023. The choice to drink and drive,” said Cobb County Assistant District Attorney Nolan Slifko, during closing arguments.
Newell spoke with Attorney Frye about the case, after the verdict was read.
“It was a very factual and technical case but ultimately it came down to what the jury was deciding, was he DUI? Because if he wasn’t, the felonies don’t apply. We absolutely appreciate the jury’s work; they did follow the law, they worked very hard to follow the law and I think they did that and as a result Jerry’s going to be free today or tomorrow,” said Attorney Frye.
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