2 Charged, 8 Injured In July 4th Parade Crash In DeKalb

DUNWOODY, GA — Two people who took turns in the driver's seat of a Ford 150, leading to a crash with several injuries, during a July 4th observance in Dunwoody have been arrested, police said late Tuesday.

Dunwoody Police said Ruby Liversidge, a 22-year-old from Decatur, and Finn Drummond, a 23-year-old from Alpharetta, surrendered Monday at the DeKalb County Jail.

The crash happened around 10:15 p.m. Friday at Mount Vernon Road at Dunwoody Village Parkway, police said. At the time, the F-150 was pulling a trailer that was carrying multiple parade participants, including children, police said.

Drummond, who was driving the F-150 before the crash, switched seats with Liversidge while the truck was still operating, police said. The F-150 was in drive and was moving during the switch, police said.

When Liversidge got into the driver's seat, police accused her of accidentally hitting the accelerator.

Police said this caused the F-150 to "lunge forward" and hit a 22-year-old woman walking in front of the truck. The woman was knocked to the ground and was injured, police said.

When Liversidge hit the brakes, the trailer disconnected from the F-150 and caused several people to fall off the trailer, police said.

The trailer chains were not connected to the truck when officers arrived, and the hitch pin was not located, police said.

Four children were injured, including one child who suffered a broken orbital socket and another child received numerous stitches from a cut on their forehead, police said. Other children suffered minor injuries, police said.

The crash also injured four adults, including the woman who was the sole person to be hit outside the trailer. Everyone hit were part of the same group, police said.

Liversidge and Drummond were initially allowed to go home from the scene due to a lack of probable cause and uncertainties, but police said they were later notified that warrants had been taken out against them.

They both surrendered around 8:30 a.m. Monday at the DeKalb County Jail and were arrested on charges of serious injury by vehicle and reckless driving, police said.

DeKalb County Jail records on Wednesday showed Drummond was released Tuesday and Liversidge was released shortly after midnight Wednesday.

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