Teen convicted in crash that killed woman wants permission to study abroad

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. — A man convicted of causing a crash that killed a bride and severely hurt her fiance and father wants to study abroad. Members of the victim's family say it wouldn't be right for the driver to have his probation modified for travel.

Kathryn Stephens, 24, died in the accident on Cedar Creek Road in March of 2017. The crash left her fiance requiring a wheelchair.

Jackson Hill Ridgeway, the man convicted of causing the crash, received an eight-year sentence and was supposed to spend three years locked up and the rest on probation. Instead, he was allowed to do community service and a boot camp in lieu of prison time.

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"To come up and say that he wants to modify his probation to leave the country, that's just wrong," said Kathryn Stephens' father, Allen.

Allen Stephens doesn't want Ridgeway to step one foot out of the United States.

"I wake up every morning and it's the first thing I think of," said Kathryn Stephens' mother, Angie.

Rridgeway wants his probation modified so he can take a class in China that's necessary for college graduation.

"He can do that here. He caused an accident and he should have to abide by the consequences,"  Allen Stephens said. "Once he is able to leave the country then he would be able to get off probation all together."

A judge will hear the request to modify his probation Wednesday.

Cox Media Group