District Attorney Keith Higgins announces that Dayvon Clarence Eaddy, 25, of Kingsland, Georgia, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea in Camden County Superior Court on February 26, 2024, to Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree based on reckless driving. The victim in this case, Michelle Volpe, of Brunswick, Georgia, was 26-years old at the time of her death.
The facts of this case showed that on Sunday afternoon July 12, 2020, around 1:24 pm, a fatal car collision occurred on Saint Mary’s Road near Haddock Road in Camden County. The collision involved a 2006 silver Ford Focus, driven by defendant Dayvon Eaddy, who was 22-years old at the time, and an orange 2019 Chevrolet Camaro driven by the victim, Michelle Volpe. Two passengers were riding with the defendant, a 19-year old in the back seat and a 17-year old individual who was the front seat passenger.
After arriving on the scene, Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Trooper Myles Cooper observed where the Ford had been traveling east on Saint Mary’s Road when it began to rotate and slide through the grass median and into the westbound lanes. After entering the westbound lanes, the Ford struck the Chevrolet Camaro. The Ford and Chevrolet left the roadway and entered the tree line. The driver of the Camaro, Michelle Volpe, died at the scene. The driver of the Ford was transported to the University of Florida Hospital in Jacksonville.
Witness interviews stated the silver Ford was traveling at a high rate of speed prior to impact with the Camaro. One witness, who was also a firefighter assisting at the crash scene, stated that the 17-year front passenger told him that the rear passenger was encouraging the defendant to swerve in and out of traffic.
GSP interviewed the defendant at the hospital, and Eaddy stated he swerved left, out of the right lane to miss something in the roadway and overcorrected his steering wheel. Eaddy agreed to a voluntary blood draw which was negative for alcohol or drugs. During another interview later in July, Eaddy stated he was only driving 55-60 MPH. He felt a jolt and the steering wheel snatched to the left. The car then began to slide sideways into the crash. When GSP interviewed rear passenger, he also stated that Eaddy was going 55-65MPH and lost control when he swerved to miss something in the roadway.
GSP interviewed the 17-year old front passenger who confirmed the statement provided to the witness at the crash scene and stated that the rear passenger was encouraging Eaddy to speed and swerve around other cars. When asked if Eaddy swerved to avoid something in the roadway, the 17-year old said no, that he was swerving around other vehicles and lost control and stated that the speed she observed on the speedometer was 90 MPH.
GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) investigated the collision further and calculated the defendant’s speed at 108 MPH.
Pursuant to the negotiated plea agreement, Eaddy was sentenced to 15 years, serve 8 years in the Georgia Department of Corrections. The sentence was handed down in Camden County Superior Court by Judge Robert W. Guy.
Members of the media with further questions may contact the Brunswick Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office at 912-554-7200.
