COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Deliberations wrapped up late Thursday night for an alleged drunk driver who hit and killed 17-year-old Olivia Pugh nearly a year ago.
Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell has been following the trial.
Closing arguments lasted for more than two hours on Thursday. Jerome Cox, 68, faces six charges including homicide by vehicle and DUI.
Jurors deliberated for more than six hours Thursday night before being sent home by the judge.
“It’s late. It’s almost, it’s 8:33 p.m. but you’ve only been deliberating for a little over six hours. So, I’m going to send you home for tonight and have you come back in the morning at 8:30 to resume your deliberations,” the judge told the jurors.
During the trial, jurors were shown Cox on body camera video during which he refused a field sobriety test. The reasoning he gave for doing so was “unusual,” according to Ofc. Matthew Brown of Cobb County police.
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“I don’t think it’s fair. I didn’t cause this and I shouldn’t and we’re all innocent until proven guilty right,” Cox said to Ofc. Brown.
A witness took the stand stating he and his family were leaving the light show, crossing near Ben King Road, and that is when the crash occurred.
He testified that he and his family crossed Ben King Road and heard what sounded like a crash behind him.
“The only thing I could think of was the girls that had been behind us,” said Charles Herbough. “Then, I heard the girls on the other side screaming, ‘She’s been hit! She’s been hit!’”
The crash threw Pugh upon impact. Herbough described finding her shoes and socks before her. She died in the hospital two days later.
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Criminal defense attorney Kim Frye, has argued that Pugh was not in a crosswalk and darted into the road.
Throughout the trial, Attorney Frye has said investigators didn’t do their job correctly or follow policy regarding body cameras. She said Cox was driving under the speedlight with his headlights on and hit Pugh because he couldn’t see her, not because he was drinking.
“They couldn’t see her, no one saw her,” said Attorney Frye during closing arguments.
“Don’t you expect better than a 25-minute investigation before an arrest?” said Attorney Frye.
Cox faces multiple charges including homicide by vehicle, driving under the influence, open container and failure to yield.
Pugh’s family and friends wore purple every day of the trial because it was Pugh’s favorite color.
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