Athens man indicted on homicide charge for deadly DUI crash

By Joe Johnson

John Fitzhugh Orchard, 31, of Kennington Drive, has been indicted for vehicular homicide in connection with a drunk-driving crash last year that killed his passenger.

He was charged with first-degree homicide by vehicle, DUI, and following another vehicle too closely, according to the indictment filed November 4th in Superior Court.

The deadly crash happened on the evening of December 17, when Orchard was driving a Toyota MR2  on Macon Highway and struck a Jeep Gladiator that was exiting a driveway, fatally injuring his passenger, 56-year-old Edward Nadeau of Commerce.

Orchard remains free on bail while awaiting his arraignment next month.