GA Woman Jailed In Connection With Fiery Crash Near Cartersville

CARTERSVILLE, GA — A Georgia woman remains in the Bartow County Jail Wednesday, charged with misdemeanor homicide by vehicle in connection with a fatal crash on Interstate 75 in August.

Erica Leerle Taylor, 34, of Fort Oglethorpe was trying to merge her vehicle onto I-75 southbound on Aug. 28 when she lost control and struck the right side of a semi driven by Jean Smith Verneus of Miami, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

The impact forced the semi into a guard rail, causing its fuel tanks to ignite. Finally, both vehicles came to rest on the right shoulder of I-75, according to the incident report. Verneus, 41, died at the scene. The accident took place near mile marker 293 in Bartow County.

Taylor was booked into the Bartow jail Monday afternoon and charged with misdemeanor homicide by vehicle in the second degree, failure to maintain her lane and driving too fast for conditions. Her bail was set at $5,275.

Bartow jail records show Taylor was previously booked on Aug. 31 for misdemeanor shoplifting, then released on Oct. 23. Her bond at the time was set at $1,000.