Teen indicted in two 1999 crash deaths
Carlos Campos - Staff
Saturday, September 30, 2000

An 18-year-old was indicted Friday on vehicular homicide charges resulting from a 1999 car wreck that killed two Riverwood High School classmates.

Makiri Duckett, a Riverwood senior when the wreck occurred on I-285 between Bolton Road and Bankhead Highway, faces 12 felony counts, including two counts of felony vehicular homicide, reckless driving, misdemeanor homicide by vehicle, driving too fast for conditions and improper overtaking and passing, the Fulton County District Attorney's Office said.

Duckett, a Atlanta resident, was driving a 1998 Honda Civic that crashed with another vehicle, killing Tiffany Smith of Fairburn and Stephanie McLoyd of Union City, both 17. Duckett was hospitalized and immediately charged in their deaths. He was later released on bond.

Police said at the time that Duckett was driving fast and trying to get around other cars when he crashed.

"We felt that based on the facts presented . . . that constitutes a charge of felony vehicular homicide," said Erik Friedly, a spokesman for the district attorney's office.

Prosecutors added the misdemeanor homicide counts so the jury could also consider lesser charges if the case goes to trial.

Smith and McLoyd attended Riverwood, off Heards Ferry Road in Sandy Springs, for the magnet school's international program.