Police: Man who hit, killed retired army vet was going nearly double the speed limit

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Police say a 21-year-old may have been driving 40mph over the speed limit when he hit and killed a retired Army veteran.

Channel 2's Ross Cavitt was along South Cobb Drive where neighbors say speeding drivers have them living in fear almost every day.

Gail Fowler said news of her brother’s death took her breath away, especially when she learned the violent way it happened.

TRENDING STORIES:

• 'Hitchhiker' accused of attacking good Samaritan says he's the victim
• Heat, humidity lead to red alert for AJC Peachtree Road Race
• Georgia plane crash victims identified as grandparents, grandchildren

“I was in shock,” Fowler said. “I was in shock for the day, I couldn’t believe it.”

Witnesses claim a red Mustang was doing nearly a 100mph up the road when it rammed Bruce Barker’s pickup trunk, sending it rolling over and over.

Investigators say the 66-year-old retired carpenter and army vet was just trying to make it home and was making the final turn on South Cobb Drive into his complex.

An arrest warrant says Jabriel Wooden’s Mustang registered 83mph at the moment of impact where the speed limit for that area is set at 45.

Fowler told Cavitt that her brother really only used his small pickup truck to help others.

“A lot of people there didn’t have transportation and he would take them grocery shopping,” Fowler said.

Neighbors say speed is the issue in South Cobb, claiming that few pay attention to the speed limit.

Just north of the area, a Kennesaw State University student lost their life while trying to turn out of campus onto South Cobb Drive.

South of the location, another young student lost her life when a driver, suspected of being under the influence, rammed her car.

Almost within sight of Monday’s accident, a driver fleeing from police rammed a taxi, killing a passenger in the getaway car. And up and down South Cobb Drive, there have been a series of deadly incidents involving pedestrians.

Neighbors say some of these incidents could be avoided if people stuck to the speed limit, but many do not.

“Having a license is a privilege and people take advantage of that,” a neighbor said.

Wooden, the man accused of killing the army vet, is a recent Pope High School graduate and was on probation for a misdemeanor drug charge.

Wooden is currently being held without bond at the Cobb County Jail.

Cox Media Group