Grand jury indicts for vehicular homicide

ALBANY — The Dougherty County grand jury has handed down indictments on a number of cases, including cases alleging vehicular homicide, cruelty to children or causing brain damage to an infant.

Amber Marie Brown Kelly was indicted on three counts of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, one count of driving under the influence one count of driving under the influence (less safe) (alcohol), one count of reckless driving, one count of failure to maintain lane, one count of failure to wear seat safety belt and one count of driving with expired license.

The indictments accuse Kelly of causing the death of her passenger, Daemon Johnson, 28, by crashing her 2004 Chevrolet Impala into a street sweeper on July 3. When tested after the accident, Kelly’s blood alcohol concentration was .08 grams or more, the indictment states.

Police reports stated that Kelly is originally from Snellville and was a student at Albany State University at the time of the accident.

In an unrelated case, James Obryan Murray was indicted Wednesday on two counts of aggravated assault, family violence, one count of cruelty to children in the second degree, one count of criminal trespass, one count of simple battery and one count of cruelty to children in the third degree.

Murray’s indictments stem from acts he is alleged to have committed on August 20, including striking Jaiah Murray, a child under the age of 18, with a television set and causing “serious disfigurement” to her face.

Dougherty County District Attorney Greg Edwards said that while most aggravated assault charges derive from the use of potentially deadly weapons, including guns, knives or clubs, anything which could conceivably be used to cause great injure or death — even a television — could evoke the charge.

Murray is further accused of injuring Adrin Williams by striking her in the arm and face with a door, as well as intentionally damaging a table and entertainment center belonging to Williams.

Also indicted Wednesday were Jeremy Hancock and Stephanie Nicole Rumburg on one count of aggravated battery-family violence, one count of cruelty to children in the second degree and one count of cruelty to children in the first degree.

The indictments accuse Hancock and Rumburg of violence against their infant daughter, Ziva Hancock, around Aug. 11, which “maliciously” caused physical damage to Ziva Hancock, “depriving her of her brain.” Specifically, Jeremy Hancock and Rumburg as accused of shaking and dropping Ziva Hancock, causing trauma to her head. Further, the defendants are accused of failing to seek medical help for their child, even after she choked and stopped breathing.