Kingsland police make arrest in deadly semi crash from last month

KINGSLAND, Ga. — Kingsland Police Department announced that it made an arrest connected with a crash that killed one and injured two.

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On Nov. 2, at about 5:53 a.m., Kingsland Police Patrol Teams Charlie and Delta responded to a crash involving a semi-tractor trailer and a Toyota Prius at the intersection of GA-40 and the southbound ramps to Interstate 95. Kingsland Fire Rescue and Camden County Fire Rescue removed the occupants of the Prius and transported all three to Southeast Georgia Health System Camden.

As a result of injuries sustained in the crash, the front seat passenger, 47-year-old Edgar Mazariego of Nanuet, New York, was pronounced deceased at the emergency room. The rear-seat passenger, Carmen Mazariego, was later transported to UF Health Jacksonville Shands and remains hospitalized.

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In the following investigation by Kingsland PD, officers obtained surveillance video from nearby businesses that showed the driver of the semi entered the intersection on a solid red light. The semi struck the passenger side of the Prius as the car’s driver attempted to turn left onto I-95.

On Dec. 18, officers arrested the semi driver, 54-year-old Denny O’Dell Taylor of Folkston, Georgia. Taylor was charged with one count of homicide by vehicle in the second degree and running a red light. Taylor was booked at Camden County Sheriff’s Public Safety Complex and was released on bond the following day.

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OCGA defines homicide by a vehicle as follows: “Any person who causes the death of another person, without an intention to do so, by violating any provision of this title other than subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-163, subsection (b) of Code Section 40-6-270, Code Sections 40-6-390 through 40-6-391, or subsection (a) of Code Section 40-6-395 commits the offense of homicide by vehicle in the second degree when such violation is the cause of said death and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished as provided in Code Section 17-10-3.”

Homicide by vehicle is a misdemeanor and persons convicted are subject to a possible one year in jail. Kingsland police said that additional charges may be added as the investigation continues.

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