Kennesaw Man Sentenced for Role in Fatal Crash

The Kennesaw man accused of involvement in a traffic incident which killed two teenage girls last year will spend the next two decades in prison for his crime, the Cobb County District Attorney’s Office says.

Garrett Kyle Anderson, 25 was convicted of two counts of homicide by vehicle, one count of serious injury by vehicle, and one count of aggressive driving Friday night after three hours of jury deliberations, the DA’s Office says.

The second man involved in the incident, Tansu Kanlica, 28 pleaded guilty to similar charges in February and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. He provided testimony in Anderson’s trial, prosecutors said.

Kanlica, a locksmith, responded to a locked car call at the Walmart on Chastain Meadows Parkway on the evening of May 25, 2014. Kanlica got the car unlocked, but Anderson refused to pay and sped off. Kanlica gave chase, but lost control of his vehicle and struck three pedestrians walking along Barrett Lakes Boulevard near Shiloh Valley Drive after Anderson “brake checked” him, he testified in court.

Reina As-Salaam, 15, was declared dead at the scene. A second girl, Juliana Ferrell, 16,died at the hospital on May 30. The third victim, Monica Epps, 16, suffered a broken leg as a result of the collision.

“Garrett Anderson chose to lead this chase,” said ADA Jaret Usher, who prosecuted the case with ADA Tricia Hull. “He engaged in this chase with Mr. Kanlica. They are both responsible.”

Cobb Superior Court Judge Reuben M. Green sentenced Anderson to 45 years, with 20 to serve behind bars and the rest to be served on probation, the DA’s Office says.