A burned up shell of a Chevy Trailblazer belongs to Judge Cornwell. He was driving it two weeks ago when he ran off the road along Old Highway 441 in Habersham County, according to authorities. The SUV hit a tree and burst into flames. Instead of calling 911, the judge admitted he called a friend to pic k him up and take him home, said officials.
"The state patrol received the call at nearly 4 a.m. and responded approximately 4:30, however, the persons involved were claiming the accident happened at approximately 1 a.m.," said Trooper Larry Schnall with the GSP.
That information is important because the trooper's report said he, "detected a strong odor of alcohol coming from Mr. Cornwell's breath." But as a superior court judge and former solicitor, Cornwell knows Georgia state law.
"Sometimes people are drinking and driving and they have those accidents and we respond to the scene, they are fearful and they leave," said Schnall.
Documents show the 911 call first dispatched to sheriff's deputies at 3:18 a.m. with the caller saying the crash just happened an hour earlier. That would have put the crash well within the window testable for DUI.
"If we can make ourselves better we will, but again we're going to conduct this in a professional manner, no special treatment whatsoever regardless of who he is," said Schnall.
Cornwell could face charges for leaving the scene of an accident with injuries.
"It will be part of the lengthy investigation looking at documents from 911, perhaps phone records and any witnesses' account of what time the accident actually happened," said Schnall.
The judge has returned to work and is back on the bench. Channel 2 attempted to contact Cornwell at work and at home but they were unable to reach him. Cornwell has told officers a deer ran out in front of him, causing his crash.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2007/9/85597