On Wednesday, May 12, 21-year-old Jessica Bruce led police on a high-speed chase through Douglasville, Georgia, that ended when her Pontiac, after weaving in and out of traffic and crashing into two cars, was T-boned, trapping the pregnant woman inside.
Police began the chase when Bruce's white Pontiac was clocked doing 86 MPH in a 65 MPH zone on I-20 in Douglasville. Bruce exited the highway and attempted to flee through the suburbs. Picking up speed, she entered into oncoming traffic, striking other cars.
Although other motorists received only minor injuries, Bruce had to be extricated from her vehicle. She was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta where doctors performed an emergency C-section in an attempt to save the six- to seven-month-old fetus she was carrying. The baby did not survive. A GBI crime lab autopsy report cited injuries from the crash as the cause of death.
On Friday, May 14, Jessica Bruce was charged with feticide. Other charges are expected to be filed. The reason that Bruce fled from police is still unknown; the incident is under investigation. Bruce remains in the hospital in stable condition.
Georgia is currently the only state with a specific law about "feticide by vehicle."
Watch the breaking news video on WSBTV Atlanta.
Article comments
1 - Nancy
One of those other charges is probably going to be DUI. The weaving is a pretty good indicator.
2 - Victor Lana
It's hard to believe that a parent (or parent to be) would be drinking and driving. How can someone endanger a child like that?
3 - Ruvy
I don't know that she was drunk and driving - but if she was stupid enough to flee cops at nearly 150 km/h over a speeding ticket, she was stupid enough to drink and drive. And she is liable to be doing hard time for what amounted to "criminal stupidity".
4 - barga
I don't understand how we can charge people with feticide when the fetus is not a person. The court needs to rectify this issue at some point