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Jerry Ross, 72, faces charges including aggravated assault and hit-and-run after his vehicle struck two cyclists near Atlanta, leaving Richard Collins with a fractured spine. Ross says he did nothing wrong and blames the riders; video cited in reporting appears to show them riding two-abreast on the right side of the lane. The case was due to be presented at an arraignment on November 4, but the source report does not give the hearing’s outcome.
Jerry Ross, a 72-year-old Georgia motorist, says he believes he did nothing wrong after driving into a group of cyclists near Atlanta, an incident that left rider Richard Collins with a fractured spine. Ross faces charges including aggravated assault, aggressive driving and hit-and-run; the case was due to be presented at an arraignment on November 4, according to road.cc’s report.
Video of the encounter, described in the reporting, shows Ross preparing to pass the cyclists while repeatedly sounding his horn. His vehicle veers toward the group, strikes one rider with a side mirror, then collides with Collins, who falls. The report says the first cyclist remained upright. The source does not provide the video itself, so the account here follows the description published by road.cc.
Ross told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he was tired of cyclists doing “what the hell they want” and said he believed the cyclist hit him. He also told police the riders were travelling three-abreast. The video description in the reports says they were riding two-abreast on the right side of the lane. Those accounts differ, and Ross’s statements are claims, not findings by a court.
Collins suffered a fractured spine and road rash to his shoulder, elbow and knee, according to road.cc. After six weeks of rest, he was riding again. The charges listed in the report are aggravated assault, aggressive driving, hit-and-run and failure to maintain distance. Ross intended to appeal any conviction to the Supreme Court, the report says; it does not establish that he has been convicted.
The Case Tests Safe Passing Rules
The collision puts attention on the practical meaning of Georgia’s three-foot passing requirement and on the risks when a driver attempts to pass a group of people on bicycles. Road.cc says the video does not appear to show Ross maintaining the required buffer while passing. That is the publication’s assessment of the footage, not a court ruling.
The injury also shows the potential consequences of a vehicle-cyclist collision: Collins sustained a spinal fracture and needed six weeks of rest before returning to riding. The criminal case will determine how the allegations are handled under the law. Until a court reaches findings, the charges and the parties’ competing accounts must be treated separately.
The incident has drawn attention to public reactions toward cyclists, including online comments blaming the group for not riding single file. Those comments are not evidence about the collision. The question of whether riders were positioned lawfully, and whether Ross passed safely, should be resolved through evidence and legal proceedings rather than social media opinion.
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What the Reports Say Happened
Road.cc reported Ross’s arrest in May, following a ride on the outskirts of Atlanta. The account says a cyclist recorded the approach and collision. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution later profiled Ross and reported that he experiences bouts of dizziness and vertigo, describing him as “a fragile man.” That characterization is attributed to the newspaper; the source material does not establish that any health condition caused the crash.
Georgia law, as summarized by road.cc, requires drivers passing cyclists to leave at least three feet of clearance. The report says the video appears not to show that buffer during Ross’s attempt to pass. Collins later told Fox 5 Atlanta: “I just hope this experience will raise awareness to the rules of the road for cyclists, and how drivers should allow for the three feet distance in safe passing.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s framing also drew criticism in road.cc’s account. The cycling publication argued that parts of the newspaper article gave weight to the view that the cyclists had blocked traffic without adequately challenging it. That criticism concerns the newspaper’s presentation; it does not change what has been established about the charges or determine fault.
“I just hope this experience will raise awareness to the rules of the road for cyclists, and how drivers should allow for the three feet distance in safe passing.”
— Richard Collins, speaking to Fox 5 Atlanta
Evidence and Hearing Outcome Unclear
The source report says Ross was due to be arraigned on November 4, but does not state whether the hearing took place, what plea he entered or whether the schedule changed. It also does not report any later court ruling or conviction. The charges therefore remain allegations in the material provided.
The available account does not include the full video, an official reconstruction, police findings or testimony from all people involved. It is not clear from the source material whether investigators reached conclusions about the cyclists’ precise position, the vehicle’s distance from them or the sequence leading to the collision. Ross’s claim that a cyclist hit him is not independently corroborated in the report.
Court Proceedings Will Determine the Case
The next confirmed procedural step in the source material was Ross’s scheduled arraignment, where the listed charges were to be presented. The report does not say what occurred at that hearing, so any further court dates, plea, or outcome remain unknown. Ross said he intended to appeal any conviction, but no conviction is reported.
Further reporting would need to establish the current status of the case and any findings made by the court. Until then, the collision’s precise legal responsibility remains unresolved in the material available, while the recorded incident and Collins’s injuries remain central to the reported account.
Key Questions
Who is Jerry Ross?
Jerry Ross is a 72-year-old Georgia motorist who faces charges after his vehicle struck cyclists near Atlanta, according to road.cc. The source report does not provide the later status of the case.
What injuries did Richard Collins suffer?
Collins suffered a fractured spine and road rash to his shoulder, elbow and knee. Road.cc reported that after six weeks of rest he was riding again.
What charges does Ross face?
The source lists aggravated assault, aggressive driving, hit-and-run and failure to maintain distance. These are charges, not proof of guilt.
What does Georgia require when drivers pass cyclists?
Road.cc says Georgia law requires drivers to leave at least three feet when passing a cyclist. The publication says the video does not appear to show Ross maintaining that distance.
Has a court decided the case?
The source report does not give the outcome of the scheduled November 4 arraignment or report a conviction. The case outcome is unclear from the information provided.
Source: rss
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