Woman calls for law change after mother is killed in deadly street car racing crash

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - “They killed my mother and his grandmother,” says Harris-Bush. Shameka Harris-Bush and her son are still grieving after their family member was hit and killed. She had just dropped off a friend — the accident forced firefighters to use the jaws of life to rescue Gayle.

Although she lived for days after the impact, her life with her daughter was cut short by speeding racers. She says the current laws on the books aren’t enough to arrest someone if it’s their first offense. “House Bill 534 addresses drag races as misdemeanors for the first three offenses, so our local police officer and deputy sheriff’s response to the call, but what are they able to do,” says Harris-Bush.

So now she is taking her concerns a step further to get things changed. “We need to go to the state, we need to talk to governor kemp, we need to talk to Senator Warnock, and we need to have House Bill 534 revised,” says Harris-Bush. We found a popular drag racing location off Victory Drive in Columbus, and Harris says people who drag race already know the consequences, so they will keep racing.

“These drag racers know that if they get caught, the first three offenses are misdemeanor. They aren’t afraid to get a suspended license ticket,” says Harris-Bush. She says a simple slap on the wrist will get someone else killed. Harris says to hear of a non-emergency line available for people to call might end the issue. “When the community calls and reports drag racing, what can an officer do? Besides, go out and write a ticket if they can catch them in the act, so I think this is above a local level, so I think we need to take this to a state level and make the penalties stiffer than a misdemeanor,” says Harris-Bush.

The number to call if you want to report speeding in your neighborhood is (706) 653-3300.

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