The vehicular-homicide case against a Cornelia woman charged in connection with a fatal motorcycle wreck in October is moving forward.
A preliminary hearing for 64-year old Ruby Marshall was to have been held this morning to determine if there’s enough evidence to proceed with prosecuting the case against her. A Hall County Magistrate Court spokeswoman says their office received paperwork late Friday afternoon notifying them that the hearing was canceled and the case has been sent on to Hall County Superior Court.
Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh confirms his office is now handling the case. He says he can’t comment further because it’s pending litigation.
Marshall is charged in the death of 47-year old Jerald Freeman. Freeman was killed in a motorcycle wreck on Pea Ridge Road while returning home from a trip to Florida on Oct. 7. Georgia State Patrol investigators say Marshall allegedly crossed over the center lane and forced Freeman off the road. He ran down an embankment and was thrown from his bike. Freeman died of a broken neck. His body was discovered the next day in a ravine less than two miles from his home.
Investigators say Marshall did not stop or render aid. She was arrested by state troopers on Oct. 30 in Dahlonega. Marshall was released from the Hall County Jail on Nov. 7 on $20,100 bond.
Marshall is charged with first-degree vehicular-homicide, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving and failure to stop at the scene of an accident. If convicted, she could face up to 15 years in prison.
Jerald Freeman was the owner of About Time Tree Service in Cornelia and also worked as a skydiving instructor in Atlanta. He was a 1985 graduate of Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy and a 1987 graduate of Truett McConnell College in Cleveland.
