Forsyth County man indicted in 2024 hit-and-run pedestrian crash

A Forsyth County man has been indicted in a 2024 hit-and-run that critically injured a pedestrian, a case that returns attention to how long serious crash investigations can take to reach a grand jury. The indictment, reported June 11, also highlights a basic rule that is often ignored in the worst pedestrian crashes: Georgia drivers must stop, exchange information and render reasonable assistance after an injury or fatal collision. Leaving the scene can be charged as a felony, turning a traffic case into a major criminal matter when someone is badly hurt.

The underlying crash left a pedestrian critically injured, and the indictment now pushes the case into the formal court process more than a year after the collision. That delay matters in Forsyth County, where residents have seen a series of severe pedestrian and hit-and-run cases that have tested investigators and raised questions about how quickly accountability arrives after a driver flees.

Forsyth police said a similar case on April 30, 2026 ended with a driver being tracked to Barnesville after witnesses gave descriptions of the vehicle. In that incident at Union Hill Apartments, officers said the driver fled after striking a pedestrian and was later charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in serious injury. The case showed that even when a driver leaves the county, investigators can still trace the vehicle and bring charges.

The county also has recent experience with a far deadlier pedestrian crash. On Sept. 20, 2024, a vehicle struck two pedestrians on Majors Road near Ronald Reagan Boulevard around 10 a.m. Leslie Schwendiman later died, while her fiancé, Steve Olsen, was injured and expected to recover. Investigators said speed likely played a role in that crash, adding another layer to the public-safety concerns around high-speed corridors where people on foot are especially vulnerable.

Another fatal hit-and-run from Oct. 3, 2023, remains part of the county’s recent record. Joaquin Vega, 70, of Alpharetta, was killed near Atlanta Highway and Tidwell Road, and authorities asked anyone with information to call 770-781-3087. That case, like the newer ones, put a spotlight on the danger pedestrians face when a driver flees instead of stopping.

Taken together, the cases show why a hit-and-run indictment is more than a routine court filing in Forsyth County. It is another sign that pedestrian safety, rapid enforcement and follow-through after a crash remain urgent public-safety issues on roads where families, workers and visitors share the same space.