Georgia · Douglas County · Charges filed
Chapel Hill Road Accident, Douglasville GA: Driver Charged in Prom Night Death of Patience Price, 18
Four and a half months after a Mercedes left Chapel Hill Road and rolled, the driver has been arrested on a vehicular homicide charge. Investigators say she was doing 87 in a 45 with a phone in her hand.
Key facts
- What
- Single-vehicle accident — a Mercedes left Chapel Hill Road, struck an embankment, went airborne and rolled
- Where
- Chapel Hill Road near Rosemont Drive, Douglasville, Douglas County
- When
- Saturday, March 28 — about 3 a.m. per the Douglas County Sentinel, around 3:30 a.m. per FOX 5 Atlanta
- Killed
- Patience Price, 18, the front seat passenger
- Charged
- Antonia Mykira Brown, 18, the driver — vehicular homicide and six other counts
- Arrested
- Wednesday, Aug. 12 — free on $15,000 bond
- Also hurt
- A back seat passenger; Brown had minor injuries
- Investigating
- Georgia State Patrol
- Status
- Charged, not convicted
- What happened in the Douglas County prom night accident?
- What did investigators say caused the accident?
- Who else was hurt?
- Where exactly did the accident happen?
- Who was Patience Price?
- What does "charged" mean at this stage?
- What we don't know yet
- Getting the accident report
- Frequently asked questions
What happened in the Douglas County prom night accident?
The driver in the accident that killed a Douglas County high school senior on prom night has been charged with vehicular homicide, the Douglas County Sentinel reported Thursday.
Investigators say she was traveling 87 mph in a 45 mph zone while holding and using a cellphone, according to the Sentinel.
Antonia Mykira Brown, 18, was arrested and charged Wednesday and remains free on a $15,000 bond, the Sentinel reported. She is charged, not convicted.
Brown also faces charges of reckless driving, holding a wireless telecommunications device while driving, driving too fast for conditions, driving without insurance, driving without a valid tag and failure to wear a seat belt.
Patience Price, 18, was riding in a 2019 Mercedes E450 driven by Brown when the accident happened on Chapel Hill Road on Saturday, March 28. Police said Brown lost control near Rosemont Drive.
The accident was in March. The arrest came four and a half months later, in August.
Accounts of the time differ slightly. The Sentinel put it at about 3 a.m.; Atlanta News First reported that troopers responded shortly after 3:30 a.m., and FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Georgia State Patrol put the accident itself at around 3:30 a.m.
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What did investigators say caused the accident?
The car traveled onto the right shoulder, struck an embankment, went airborne and rolled multiple times, according to Courtney Lund of the Georgia State Patrol Public Information Office, the Sentinel reported.
Lund said Price appeared to be unrestrained and was ejected from the vehicle.
Brown did not show signs of impairment, according to the State Patrol. But an arrest warrant from GSP says Brown told investigators she had been holding a cellphone on her lap and using it as a GPS device.
Back in March, Atlanta News First reported that investigators said the car was speeding as it approached a curve, then went off the road, struck an embankment, went airborne and overturned several times. FOX 5 Atlanta reported the Mercedes veered off the road, struck an embankment and flipped multiple times, and that investigators believed Price was not wearing a seat belt.
Who else was hurt?
Brown suffered minor injuries, the Sentinel reported. A third person was riding in the back seat.
Accounts of that passenger's condition differ. The Sentinel reported the back seat passenger was seriously injured. Atlanta News First reported in March that the passenger was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with serious injuries, while FOX 5 Atlanta reported a day later that the passenger was treated and released from Grady.
Where exactly did the accident happen?
On Chapel Hill Road near Rosemont Drive in Douglasville, the Douglas County seat, west of Atlanta.
The accident happened hours after Chapel Hill High School's prom at the Delta Flight Museum, which sits next to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta News First reported.
Who was Patience Price?
Price was a senior at Chapel Hill High School, a Douglas County Schools spokesperson told Atlanta News First.
She had finished all of her credits early and was set to graduate in May, the Sentinel reported. Her mother accepted the diploma for her at the school's graduation ceremony.
"Coming home every day. Seeing her bed. Seeing her clothes," her mother, Kim Jones, wrote on Facebook shortly after the accident, the Sentinel reported. "I know I look strong to the public. But when I walk into my home I let it all out."
Jones called her daughter a "fire cracker, who always lit up a room with the prettiest smile."
Hundreds gathered at Hunter Park on Tuesday, March 31, for a vigil, FOX 5 Atlanta reported. Friends and family released balloons and held candles for Price, who was known as "PayPay." Her father, Ronald Price, spoke about her faith.
Jones spoke about the driver that night. "Mistakes happen," she said, according to FOX 5. "Patience would not, she would not want me to hold a grudge. Matter of fact, Patience would tell me, 'Mama forgive. Mama love.'"
Chapel Hill High principal Melisha Plummer said in a statement carried by Atlanta News First: "We are deeply saddened by the loss of our scholar, Patience. She was a bright and resilient young woman who met challenges head-on with strength and determination. Her spirit, perseverance, and light will be deeply missed by our entire school community."
What does "charged" mean at this stage?
It means an officer or a court has accused Brown of these offenses. It does not mean a court has decided anything.
Brown has not been tried and has not been convicted. She is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The Sentinel reported she is out of custody on $15,000 bond while the case proceeds.
What we don't know yet
- Whether Brown has entered a plea, and when her next court date is
- Which prosecutor's office is handling the case
- Why the charges came four and a half months after the accident
- The condition of the back seat passenger today
- How investigators established the 87 mph figure
- Whether the case will go before a Douglas County grand jury
Getting the accident report
Georgia State Patrol worked this accident, which means the report is held by the Georgia Department of Public Safety rather than by Douglas County or the city of Douglasville.
Frequently asked questions
Who has been charged in the Douglas County prom night accident?
Antonia Mykira Brown, 18, who was driving. The Douglas County Sentinel reported she was arrested and charged Wednesday and remains free on $15,000 bond.
Has Antonia Brown been convicted of anything?
No. She is charged, not convicted. She is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.
Who was killed in the Chapel Hill Road accident?
Patience Price, 18, a senior at Chapel Hill High School. She was the front seat passenger and was pronounced dead at the scene.
When and where did the accident happen?
On Chapel Hill Road near Rosemont Drive in Douglasville on Saturday, March 28. The Douglas County Sentinel put the time at about 3 a.m. FOX 5 Atlanta reported Georgia State Patrol placed it at around 3:30 a.m.
What charges does Brown face?
Vehicular homicide, reckless driving, holding a wireless telecommunications device while driving, driving too fast for conditions, driving without insurance, driving without a valid tag and failure to wear a seat belt, according to the Douglas County Sentinel.
How fast was the car going?
Investigators say 87 mph in a 45 mph zone, the Douglas County Sentinel reported.
Was the driver impaired?
Brown did not show signs of impairment, according to the State Patrol. A GSP arrest warrant says she told investigators she had been holding a cellphone on her lap and using it as a GPS device.
Who else was in the car?
A third person was in the back seat. The Douglas County Sentinel reported that passenger was seriously injured. Atlanta News First reported in March the passenger went to Grady Memorial Hospital with serious injuries; FOX 5 Atlanta reported the passenger was treated and released from Grady.
What car was involved?
A 2019 Mercedes E450 driven by Brown, the Douglas County Sentinel reported.
Where had the students been that night?
Atlanta News First reported the accident happened hours after Chapel Hill High School's prom at the Delta Flight Museum, next to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Which agency investigated the accident?
Georgia State Patrol. Courtney Lund of the GSP Public Information Office described the sequence, and the arrest warrant came from GSP.
How do I get the accident report?
Because Georgia State Patrol worked the accident, the report is held by the Georgia Department of Public Safety rather than Douglas County.
Compiled by The Local Alert Georgia Staff from the named news outlets linked above. The Local Alert is not a law enforcement agency and not a law firm. Anyone named in connection with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Corrections and removal requests: see our corrections policy.
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