On a May afternoon in Cobb County, what police describe as a high speed race on Macland Road ended with a fatal crash and now a felony case. A Marietta man, Antavious Rashard Waller, was charged on June 23 in connection with a May 4 collision near Macland Road and Bankstone Drive that killed motorcyclist Stephen Robinson. Prosecutors have filed both felony and misdemeanor counts tied to the wreck.
As reported by the Marietta Daily Journal, an arrest warrant filed June 23 states that Waller faces one count of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, along with misdemeanor charges of speeding, racing on highways and reckless driving. Investigators say Waller was driving a 2022 Kia Stinger and Robinson was riding a 2020 Triumph motorcycle when the crash occurred around 3:57 p.m. The warrant alleges the Kia reached an average of 87.5 mph in a 55 mph zone before impact.
Defendant's Prior Court Record
Court calendars from Cobb Superior Court show Waller has previously appeared in local criminal court, including filings from late 2024. Those public dockets list multiple case numbers under his name and indicate that criminal proceedings in Cobb County were already underway before the May crash. The new arrest warrant now layers a far more serious felony count onto that existing record.
How Investigators Say the Crash Unfolded
The arrest warrant described by the Marietta Daily Journal states that a 2004 Mercury Mountaineer attempted a left turn from Macland Road onto Bankstone Drive. According to investigators, the driver could not perceive the danger posed by oncoming traffic because of the high speeds involved. The warrant says the front of Robinson's motorcycle struck the right front of the Mountaineer, throwing Robinson into the SUV's windshield and then onto the roadway. Authorities allege that the combination of the left turn and the alleged high speed racing made the collision deadly.
What the Charge Means
Under O.C.G.A. § 40-6-393, the Georgia homicide-by-vehicle statute, a first-degree charge applies when a death results from certain serious traffic violations and is treated as a felony. The statute, as outlined on Justia, generally carries a prison range of three to 15 years, with the potential for higher sentences for habitual violators. Misdemeanor counts such as racing, speeding and reckless driving can add fines and other penalties at sentencing if there is a conviction.
Street Racing's Local Toll
Fatal crashes tied to alleged street racing are not new in Cobb County, and previous incidents have also resulted in first-degree vehicular homicide charges. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution documented a 2019 wreck that killed two fathers and led to multiple arrests on racing and vehicular homicide counts, underscoring how seriously local authorities treat deadly racing cases. That history forms part of the backdrop for why investigators are handling the May crash as a criminal prosecution rather than a routine traffic incident.
The investigation into the May 4 collision remains active, and the arrest warrant surfaced in late June according to local reporting. The Cobb County Police Department's STEP Unit typically investigates fatal crashes, and anyone with information about this wreck is asked to contact the unit at (770) 499-3987, per local coverage. This story will be updated as additional public filings, arraignments or court dates become available.
