ATLANTA — More than a year after Tamara Taylor’s life was cut short in a devastating crash, her family is still seeking justice. The 2024 collision occurred when a driver fleeing police slammed into Taylor’s car—a tragedy her loved ones say should never have happened.
On April 4, 2024, Taylor, a mother of three, was getting food for her family when Ryan Hicks, attempting to evade law enforcement, ran a red light and struck her vehicle. The chase began after police tried to pull Hicks over for a broken taillight—the same minor infraction they had cited him for just two days earlier, WSB-TV reported.
“The phone rang and said that Tam was dead,” her father, Charles Atkins Sr., testified in Fulton County court on April 15, 2025. Atkins had unknowingly driven past the crash scene before learning his daughter was the victim. Fighting back tears, he shared, “She was going to surprise my wife.”
The trial has been repeatedly delayed due to Hicks’ requests for extensions, including one to use his tax refund to hire a different attorney. Taylor’s brother, Charles Atkins Jr., expressed frustration over the prolonged legal battle. “It’s devastated my family,” he said. “Prolonging it just… makes this family suffer even more.”
While the family wants Hicks held accountable, they also question the police pursuit that led to Taylor’s death. “I wanted those chases definitely to stop,” Atkins Jr. said, though he added that he hopes Hicks accepts a plea deal rather than dragging out the case.
Hicks faces 12 charges, including felony murder and fleeing law enforcement. His public defender, Marilyn Primovic, argued that the case does not warrant a felony murder charge. “This is not felony murder. This is a homicide by vehicle,” she said.
Meanwhile, Taylor’s oldest daughter launched a GoFundMe after her death to support her youngest sibling, who was just 17 at the time. As the trial continues, Taylor’s family grieves a life lost too soon—one that ended simply because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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