Local

Mother says son fell asleep before deadly hit-and-run

ATLANTA — The mother of a man charged in a hit-and-run that killed a good Samaritan says her son fell asleep behind the wheel.

Betty Spencer spoke with Channel 2’s Tom Jones and apologized to the victims and their families.

Andrew Spencer, 29, is charged in connection with a crash on Interstate 20 in DeKalb County on Feb. 19.

Police say Spencer’s Dodge Ram crashed into Kleeon Cadogan and Devon Witter as they changed a friend’s tire on the side of the highway.  Cadogan died and Witter was severely injured.

Police say Spencer left the scene and was chased by driver Lee Hardeman until he finally stopped.

"Oh I am so, so sorry. It's not a day goes by that I'm not crying and grieving for them,” Spencer said.  "And my heart goes out to them. I am so, so sorry about their loss."

Spencer's mother told Jones it was an accident.

"He fell asleep. He fell asleep," Spencer said fighting back tears at her East Point home.

Spencer says her son worked near Stonecrest Mall and was making the long drive back to East Point when the crash happened.

Jones asked Spencer why her son left the scene.

"He didn't know he had hit the people. He didn't know," Spencer said.

Spencer claims her son would have stopped if he had known.

"He's still in shock of somebody passing on the road that he did. He can't get over that part of it," she said.

Spencer said she spends more time praying these days and not just for her family.

"I pray for them more than I pray for us. Every day. The Lord knows this is true," she said.

Andrew Spencer faces felony vehicular homicide and hit-and-run charges. He is currently free on bond.