Fatal crash suspect faces new charges after allegedly harming Macon officer, records say
A suspect in a hit-and-run accident in Macon, which led to the victim’s death months later, faces new charges for allegedly harming a law enforcement officer, according to court records from Thursday.
Vedohr Starkes has been indicted on one count of homicide by vehicle, two counts of hit-and-run, one count of serious injury by vehicle, one count of influencing a witness, one count of battery, and one count of terroristic threats, according to Bibb County Superior Court records.
He was declared a suspect in a March 19, 2024, hit-and-run that severely injured Shamaamah Hawkins-Clyatt, an Atlanta woman. She eventually died on Oct. 24, 2024, with Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones telling The Telegraph that she suffered from a traumatic brain injury and other injuries.
Starkes was arrested in July 2024, according to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Incident with officer leads to more charges
Starkes originally was only accused of causing the accident killed Hawkins-Clyatt, leaving the scene, and not returning, according to court records.
His charges of influencing a witness, battery, and terroristic threats stemmed from an incident with a law enforcement officer on March 22, 2024, where he allegedly attempted to persuade a law enforcement officer not to act in the investigation by “threatening and causing bodily harm” to the officer, according to court records.
Starkes “did intentionally cause visible body harm, to wit: scratch on the arm, scrape on the knee, and loss of hair, to (the law enforcement officer),” his indictment alleges. He also suggested the officer’s death to terrorize her and threatened to commit a crime of violence.
