ATLANTA — Loved ones gathered at a balloon release to honor and remember the lives of a Georgia grandmother and her two grandchildren who were tragically killed by a driver fleeing from police. This comes days after the man accused of killing them years ago in the high-speed chase was arraigned.
It has been six years since Dorothy Wright, 75, was killed by a driver allegedly trying to evade College Park Police. Wright's two grandchildren, 12-year-old grandson Cameron Costner and her 6-year-old granddaughter Layla Partridge, also died on Jan. 31, 2016, in the crash.
On Monday, family gathered at the cemetery where the three crash victims were laid to rest. Joi Partridge, the children's mother, shared photos of the family with multi-colored balloons. The balloons were released just days after the family learned the victims' alleged killer would face charges.
“Those are my only two kids. Just watching them grow, watching them graduate from different levels of school, future marriage and grandkids. I will never have none of that," Partridge said in an interview with 11Alive on Friday.
Marking 6 years | Family honors life of grandmother, children who died in police chase crash
Authorities said Diontre Tigner, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was the one who slammed into Wright's vehicle. Officers pursued Tigner at a high speed, believing Tigner was driving a stolen car, records show. He now faces charges of felony murder, reckless driving and hit-and-run, among others.
Partridge previously said seeing justice in her family's case brings a sense of closure and sadness.
“It’s bittersweet. You can’t bring your family back but to know he’s not out there doing it to someone else. I’m happy about that," she added.
Shortly after the incident, the family filed a lawsuit against the City of Atlanta and College Park.
The family's lawyers characterized the chase as a "reckless high-speed pursuit," saying officers did not need to pursue Tigner in a manner that endangered other drivers on the road and contributed to the death of Wright and her grandchildren.
The lawsuit is still pending.