The mother of a 23-year-old killed in Johns Creek speaks out, hoping a $12,000 reward and mobile billboard will help find the driver
JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — It’s been just over one month since a 23-year-old was killed in a hit-and-run in Johns Creek. His family is hoping a reward and a mobile billboard will help police catch the driver.
Richard Bartlett, III was killed on the night of June 2.
“My son was 6’6 and you broke him down. His whole body was broken. My son went up and came back down broken,” said Richard’s mother, Tamara Bartlett.
“Someone is harboring a killer. Someone is harboring a murderer,” said Tamara.
According to Johns Creek Police, the victim was helping a friend move with his mother and little brother following in the car behind him. When they reached the area on McGinnis Ferry Road near the Chattahoochee River, all three cars pulled over so Richard Bartlett could secure a mattress to one of the cars.
“He was back against her car like this and we all had our hazards on, so people were paying attention and people slowed down went around,” said Tamara.
However, a dark colored sedan, possibly a BMW hit her son. She said she’s sure that driver knew what they’d done.
“I can promise you that person looked at me. That person never came out, that person turned, went back over across the median and took off toward Gwinnett,” said Tamara.
Even as a Gwinnett County sheriff’s deputy, Tamara said she was not looking for the driver at the time, since her main focus was tending to her son.
“I’m a mom first,” said Tamara.
There is now a $12,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the driver who hit her son, and a new mobile billboard will travel through Johns Creek, Duluth and Gwinnett County.
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Tamara hopes it is enough to help someone come forward to help police catch their suspect and help their family get closure.
“It’s not an accident anymore, you killed my son,” said Tamara.
Anyone with information about the car and/or the driver is asked to contact Officer Alexander Hennessee with the Johns Creeks Police Department at 470-774-3358 or via email at alexander.hennessee@johnscreekga.gov.