29-04-2025
Man jumps from car as he argues with wife, causing deadly crash, GA officials say
A man jumped out of a car on an interstate during an argument with his wife, then two people died in a crash while vehicles swerved to avoid hitting him, according to prosecutors in Georgia.
Kristopher Graf, 45, was convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter and six counts of reckless conduct on April 24, and a judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison, according to the Douglas County District Attorney's Office and court records.
McClatchy News reached out to Graf's attorney for comment April 29 but did not immediately receive a response.
Graf and his wife had been drinking during a night out in Atlanta on Jan. 14. 2022, and they were on their way home when they got into an argument in the car, prosecutors said in a news release.
Graf's wife was driving under the influence and was going about 80 mph on Interstate 20 when Graf 'flung' himself from the car and landed on the interstate, according to investigators.
A semitruck swerved to avoid him, then a van carrying five people tried to avoid hitting him as well and ended up crashing into the semi, throwing two passengers onto the interstate, authorities said.
One passenger in the van died at the scene, as did one of the two people ejected from the vehicle, prosecutors said. The driver of the van had a leg amputated, and the second person ejected from the van 'miraculously' wasn't hurt, authorities said.
Another passenger in the van was seriously injured, as was Graf, but they survived, officials said.
Graf's wife, Stacy Edwards, had a blood alcohol level more than twice the legal limit, and she pleaded guilty to a DUI charge and was sentenced to probation, prosecutors said.
'The absurd recklessness demonstrated by these defendants resulted in a chain reaction that took and altered numerous lives that day,' District Attorney Dalia Racine said.
Douglas County is part of the Atlanta metro area.
