Teen Hit By Gwinnett Police Officer Has Died

NORCROSS, GA — A teenager who was hit by a Gwinnett County Police officer driving nearly 100 m.p.h. last week has died, police confirmed.

Jose Coreas-Mejia, 16, died at about 11:30 a.m. Monday at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, according to police.

He was one of two teens hit on January 29 when officer Scott York's car left the roadway and went up on the curb, striking Coreas-Mejia and his cousin, Joel Melendez-Coreas. Melendez-Coreas was treated for his injuries at the hospital and released.

York was booked into Gwinnett County Jail on Tuesday morning, charged with vehicular homicide, reckless driving, and driving too fast for conditions.

The crash happened on Singleton Road near Stonewood Drive in Norcross. York was responding to a separate pedestrian incident at about 9 p.m. when it happened.

York, who had only been with the department since April, was fired after the crash.

According to a police news release, York was driving about 97 m.p.h. shortly before the collision. The speed limit in the area is 40 m.p.h.

York told investigators that he drove into the center turn lane in an attempt to pass another vehicle when that vehicle unexpectedly merged into the center lane as well. He said he maneuvered his car onto the opposite side of the road to avoid a collision, lost control of his vehicle and crossed over the center turn lane and both westbound travel lanes before driving onto the right curb.

According to department policies, there was no reason for York to have been driving above the speed limit while responding to a pedestrian accident, the release said.

York received minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

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