Driver, 84, faces vehicular homicide charge in DeKalb pedestrian’s death

Angeline Holcombe

Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

Credit: DeKalb County Sheriff's Office

Angeline Holcombe

The driver who hit and killed a pedestrian in a Decatur crosswalk last month has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide, police said.

Angeline Holcombe, 84, of Decatur, surrendered to police and was booked into the DeKalb County jail Wednesday, police spokeswoman Jennifer Ross said.

Holcombe was released later Wednesday on a signature bond, jail spokeswoman Cynthia Williams said. The charge against Holcombe is a misdemeanor, according to DeKalb jail records.

The Feb. 27 incident killed 72-year-old Judith Merlin of Decatur, according to police records. Merlin founded A Friend of the Family, a family-care staffing agency, according to website and Facebook information.

The deadly incident happened at 3:20 p.m. when Holcombe was leaving the Kroger parking lot and turning left onto Commerce Drive, police said. Two pedestrians were crossing Commerce Drive at North Candler Street. Holcombe’s vehicle hit Merlin.

“The driver of the vehicle stated she did not see the pedestrians in the crosswalk,” Ross previously said.

Holcombe earlier was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.

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