Fulton County prosecutors say they will roll a high-profile DUI case back into court, reopening a prosecution tied to a chaotic 2023 block party crash that left an Atlanta woman badly hurt. The about-face comes after new scrutiny of the case file and body camera footage raised sharp questions about how the original charges were handled.
According to Atlanta News First, the move followed an ANF Investigates request for the case file and body cam video. When Atlanta police responded to a block party in August 2023, a BMW went over an embankment and one of its tires struck Cierra Geter. She spent eight days at Grady Memorial Hospital with a concussion and glass fragments embedded in her body.
Court documents show the Fulton County Solicitor General's office dismissed passenger Jabbar Rahman’s misdemeanor DUI charge in November 2025, stating that the "prosecution should be terminated." After the ANF records request, the office reversed course and announced it would retry Rahman.
Legal stakes
Under Georgia law, when an alleged DUI or reckless driving incident leads to serious bodily harm, prosecutors can seek a felony "serious injury by vehicle" charge under OCGA §40-6-394. According to Justia, that felony can carry a sentence of up to 15 years in prison.
In cases with major injuries, charges are sometimes elevated to the district attorney's office rather than handled as misdemeanors. Prosecutors typically review body camera footage, medical records and witness statements before deciding whether felony counts are on the table.
Body camera and charges
In body camera video obtained by reporters, Rahman, who was riding as a passenger, told officers, "We was in the car intoxicated," while the BMW’s driver, Anichia Tripp, told officers she fell asleep with the engine running, as reported by Atlanta News First.
Both Tripp and Rahman were initially charged with misdemeanor DUI. Rahman pleaded not guilty, and Tripp did not enter a plea. Court records show Tripp now faces a reckless driving charge. The solicitor general's office has said it cannot discuss the matter because the case is open.
Victim, attorney call for answers
Geter told investigators she "was very scared" and described broken ribs along with displaced lumbar and cervical injuries that still require treatment. Her attorney, Dan DeWoskin, has questioned whether the solicitor's office fully investigated the case before dropping the charges.
Atlanta Trial lists DeWoskin as a metro Atlanta trial lawyer who handles serious injury cases, and he has pressed for clearer answers about why the misdemeanor DUI charge was initially dismissed.
What happens next
The solicitor general's office has formally reopened the prosecution against Rahman. Because the case is now active, the office declined further comment for reporting on the file.
Upcoming court activity and any scheduled hearings will determine where the revived case goes from here, and whether the retry results in renewed charges that stick or a different outcome for everyone involved.
