Five charged in Buford motorcyclist's death

LAWRENCEVILLE - Five people have been charged in connection with the death of a Buford man when he was thrown from his motorcycle and run over by a vehicle last month, according to the Gwinnett County Police Department.

Police Cpl. Jake Smith said Brandon Gaylor, 24, was killed just after 2:30 a.m. on April 26 as he and four of his friends traveled from a Flowery Branch restaurant to his home on Duncan Creek Road in Buford.

Smith said the five friends appeared to be racing, with Gaylor leading the way.

"We believe that as he got to his driveway, he slowed down or stopped and that led the vehicle behind him to hit him," said Smith. That vehicle was being driven by Jennifer Schoeppler, 25, according to Smith.

"He [Gaylor] was thrown from the motorcycle and was lying in the road when Noelle Gretzinger, his girlfriend, in a third vehicle, came through the scene and hit him - his body lying in the road - with her car," said Smith. "We believe that's what caused his death."

Smith said at that point Andre Daniels, 20, drove through the scene and struck Gaylor's motorcycle. The fifth friend involved, Titis Newsome, 24, arrived at the scene but avoided striking anything, according to Smith.

Smith said that investigators determined that Newsome helped Gretzinger hide her vehicle following the accident, and the remaining two drivers rearranged their vehicles before police arrived. After police left the scene, Gretzinger and her father, Gary Woodruff, 52, retrieved her vehicle and hid it behind Woodruff's house. Investigators found the vehicle and seized it as evidence, according to Smith.

Smith said a total of five people have been charged in the incident. Those charges are listed below:

Andre Daniels - 1st degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, racing, speeding, following too closely
Noelle Gretzinger - 1st degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, racing, speeding, following too closely, hit and run, tampering with evidence
Titis Newsome - 1st degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, racing, hit and run, tampering with evidence
Jennifer Schoeppler - 1st degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, racing, speeding, following too closely
Gary Woodruff - tampering with evidence, obstruction of a law enforcement officer

All five have been released from jail on bond.