Gwinnett County

Former Gwinnett Co. officer charged in crash that killed teen, injured another

GWINNETT COUNTY — A former Gwinnett County police officer is free on bond after his own department charged him with vehicular homicide.

Evidence shows former Gwinnett Officer Scott York was driving 97 mph along Singleton Road when he hit two teens.

One victim died and now York faces criminal charges.

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“My client is devastated and he doesn’t' know what to say,” attorney Lawrence Zimmerman told Channel 2’s Tony Thomas.

York is charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving and speeding after an on duty wreck last month that killed one teen and injured another.

Surviving victim Joel Melendez Coreas told our sister newspaper Mundo Hispanico that his family feels good charges have been filed.

Joel said the officer needs to pay for what he did to the Coreas family.

York's career as an officer was very short -- just 10 months from the time his dad pinned a badge on his son’s uniform for the first time, until Tuesday morning, when the York family walked out of the jail after Scott had been booked in as a suspect.

A spokesperson for his former department said given the evidence, investigators had no choice but to charge York.

“Our hands were tied and we had to take action against one of our own,” said Cpl. Michele Pihera with the Gwinnett County Police Department.

York spent only about two hours in custody. He is now free on bond awaiting for a grand jury hearing.

A Superior Court judge gave York a $6,000 bond on his three charges.