Georgia man charged with DUI after Sunday morning I-75 crash

A Georgia man pleaded guilty to DUI Monday afternoon in connection with an early morning traffic crash on I-75 Sunday morning.

The crash happened about 3 a.m. near the 13-mile marker of I-75 in the southbound lane, according to a Whitley County Sheriff’s Department release.

A 2007 white Nissan Xterra SUV struck the rear of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck.

During the investigation, Deputy Brian Hensley noticed the smell of an alcoholic beverage coming from the SUV, and the driver, Abel Nirere, 28, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, according to the release.

Nirere could not complete field sobriety tests, and witnesses reported that he allegedly attempted to leave the scene of the accident, but couldn’t because his vehicle was disabled due to the damage, the release stated.

The three occupants of the truck did not suffer any apparent injuries.

Williamsburg Police Officer Cody Jeffries charged Nirere with driving on a DUI suspended license, and operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol/drugs with a blood alcohol level of .175, and lodged him in the Whitley County Detention Center, according to court records.

Nirere pleaded guilty to the DUI charge during his arraignment Monday afternoon before Whitley District Judge Cathy Prewitt.

Prewitt sentenced Nirere to a 30-day jail sentence that was conditionally discharged for two years. This means he won’t have to serve any additional time behind bars if he stays out of trouble for the next two years, according to court records.

Prewitt also ordered that Nirere’s driver’s license be suspended for 30 days, and that he attend alcohol and drug education classes. In addition, she ordered Nirere to pay a $200 fine plus $548 in fees and court costs, according to court records.

Nirere pleaded not guilty to the driving on a suspended license charge. Prewitt scheduled an April 25 pretrial conference on that charge, and set a $200 cash bond.

Williamsburg Police Officer David Rowe also assisted with the investigation.