GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The driver of a van involved in a crash that killed six people has been charged with vehicular homicide.
Channel 2′s Tony Thomas was the first to break the news of the charges against 32-year-old Monica Elizabeth Manire.
Investigators believe that Manire made a reckless change of lanes from I-85 to I-985 which caused the van she was driving to flip on its side.
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Six people were killed and 10 others were injured when the passenger van they were in rolled over in the crash near the I-985 split Saturday.
Police released the names of the six victims:
- Alishia Carroll, 34, from Columbus
- Kristie Whitfield, 44, from Mount Airy
- Ashleigh Paris, 26, from Kennesaw
- Tina Rice, 53, from Atlanta
- Normisha Monroe, 38, from Norcross
- Rose Patrick, 34, from Ellabell
Channel 2′s Tony Thomas spoke to Steve Paris, whose daughter Ashleigh was killed, about the news of Manire’s arrest.
“It’s not going to change the fact that there are six children dead and other children injured over somebody’s stupidity or lack of responsibility to do the right thing,” Paris said. “All of these people are suffering because of somebody’s poor decision.”
Police told Thomas Manire overcorrected the 19-year-old van when she missed the split from I-85 onto I-985 north. The van flipped and caught on fire.
Ashleigh Paris’ stepmom doesn’t understand why Manire was behind the wheel.
“Why was that girl allowed to drive that van? She wasn’t an employee,” Manire said.
Gwinnett County police have not confirmed whether Manire was a patient or employee of the We Are Living Proof facility.
Thomas contacted Manire’s father by phone Thursday. He didn’t want to talk but confirmed that she was not an employee.
The Paris family also want to know if another vehicle cut the van off.
“They are not ruling that out, but as of right now we don’t have any indication to believe there are any other vehicles,” Cpl. Collin Flynn said.
Sixteen people in the van were heading to a sobriety meeting in Buford when the crash happened.
Manire was charged with six counts of vehicular homicide, along with reckless driving, improper lane change and other charges.
She was arrested and is currently at the Gwinnett County Jail.
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