Vehicular Homicide Trial Taking Place in Franklin Co.

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

A vehicular homicide trial is underway in Franklin County this week.

Testimony is taking place in Franklin County Superior Court in the vehicular homicide trial of 19-year old Samuel Parten of Canon.

Parten is charged with causing the 2015 deaths of 17-year old Timothy Hartman of Canon and 17-year old Maleke Moon of Canon.

Both were seniors at Franklin County High School.

The fatal wreck happened the afternoon of January 21, 2015 on Jackson Bridge Road.

According to Georgia State Patrol Hartwell Post Commander Sgt. Al Whitworth, Parten’s vehicle was traveling west on Jackson Bridge Road when he hit a curve and lost control.

Whitworth said the vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway, traveled down an embankment and hit a tree.

Hartman and Moon were pronounced dead at the scene.
Parten, who was also a senior at Franklin County High School, was injured and taken to Athens Regional Medical Center.

The GSP’s Hartwell Post and the Special Accident Reconstruction Investigation Team investigated the accident.

Parten was later formally charged with two counts of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, and driving too fast for conditions.

He turned himself in to authorities and was released on bond.