ATLANTA — A woman struck by a street racer survived after falling 30 feet from an interstate bridge.
On Wednesday, the man who almost killed her appeared at an arraignment and bond reconsideration hearing in Fulton County to ask that bail in his case be reinstated.
“You’re sitting here begging people to give you a bond like you don’t deserve what you get,” survivor Leslie Reese told Channel 2′s Tom Jones.
Reese said she can’t believe 21-year-old Horace Dillard Jr. asked to be released on bond after all she has been through.
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“Everyone is simply shocked that I’m still alive. Because who’s gonna survive falling from an overpass,” Reese said.
A 30-foot overpass at that.
Reese’s Chevrolet Cruze broke down last October in the emergency lane on Interstate 85 just south of Piedmont Road.
She got out of her car in the emergency lane, trying to locate a friend who was coming to pick her up.
“I was able to turn to my right and basically see the car coming at me,” she said.
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According to police, Dillard, who was traveling more than 130 miles per hour, struck another car, then hit Reese, sending her over the bridge.
“I was unconscious once I hit the ground,” she said.
In his initial hearing, Dillard pleaded not guilty, which disturbed Reese.
“I’m shocked like that he is trying to plead innocent when I’m here and I almost lost my life,” she said.
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Dillard was granted bond and was released.
However, he was released under the conditions that he would not drive, surrender his driver’s license, adhere to a curfew and wear an ankle monitor.
He violated all of those conditions, according to prosecutors.
“He just had this... arrogance,” Reese said.
She says she is going to see this through and make sure he doesn’t hurt anyone else.
The judge denied Dillard’s latest bond request.
“I’m gonna be here every step of the way just to see him get put away,” Reese said.
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