Pedestrian’s grieving family is furious over driver’s release from jail
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - A driver was released on bond after being arrested in the weekend traffic death of a homeless pedestrian – and the victim’s family is livid about it.
Meagan Monica Burton, 32, was arrested Sunday in connection with a traffic accident early that morning in the 1800 block of Gordon Highway.
Barry Anthony Smith Jr., 39, was hit by her westbound vehicle while trying to cross the highway, eventually being pronounced at 3:18 a.m. Sunday.
Burton is charged with felony homicide by vehicle and driving under the influence of drugs.
By Wednesday, she’d been released on bond, and Smith’s family is furious about it, especially since it’s not Burton’s first time to be accused of driving under the influence. Court records from 2020 show she was accused of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving too fast for conditions and failure to maintain lane.
To Smith’s mom, Susan Smith, it’s like adding insult to injury for Burton to be out on bond so soon after someone came to her door to tell her about his death.
“My doorbell rang and I thought it was my son. I opened the door and the lady was standing there and she just looked at me and I said, ‘Please, ma’am, don’t tell me something’s happened to my son,’” she said.
“That’s my son. That’s my only son and he’s not with me no more,” she told News 12. “My son didn’t ever have a chance to have kids, and he never will get to.”
Despite Burton’s arrest, an investigation found the pedestrian was at fault.
According to an accident report from the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened as Burton was driving a sport utility vehicle west in the right thru-lane on Gordon Highway near Wilkinson Road just before 2:30 a.m.
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Smith was on the north side of Gordon Highway trying to cross going near Wilkinson, according to the report. He entered the path of the SUV and gave Burton no time to stop, she told deputies.
The front of the SUV hit the pedestrian in the right-turn lane, according to the report. He was carried for a time on the hood of the SUV, which came to a stop at Wilkinson Road, according to the report.
Smith was found at fault for failing to cross at a crosswalk, according to the report.
Smith was among three people to die over the weekend from Richmond County traffic accidents. Plus, two pedestrians were killed a week earlier.
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