# Georgia driver who hit cyclist could go to prison in contentious case **By:** Thomas Lake **Published:** 2026-10-21T09:00:00Z **Source:** [ajc](https://www.ajc.com/news/2026/10/driver-collided-cyclist-could-go-prison) --- # A driver passed too close to cyclists. Now he could die in prison. Jerry Ross faces multiple felony charges after a collision in Cherokee County was captured on video. In his first interview after the arrest, he insists he did nothing wrong. Jerry Wayne Ross poses at his home in Woodstock in October. “I’ll take this (case) to the Supreme Court,” he says. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC) WOODSTOCK — He is a villain to bicyclists, a fascination to impatient motorists, a criminal in the eyes of the local authorities. Outside the metal armor of his notorious Honda Pilot, Jerry Ross is a fragile man. Ross is 73 years old, weakened by stroke and heart attack, with a scar down the middle of his chest and a collection of pills on the kitchen counter. Beta blockers, blood thinners and so forth. Sometimes he gets dizzy coming up the stairs in the garage and he leans so hard against the wall that he scrapes his arm and leaves a little trail of his thinned-out blood. hcihw hcihw keew saw saw saw deweiv oediv owt ot ot semit .ereht eht eht eht eht eht tnes enecs desaeler nosirp rehto no no no no no fo fo fo snoillim ,snaem gnol gnivael tsal liaj ,tenretni detcidni tnedicni fi eh morf rof rof hguone eid syad stnuoc dluoc ,detcivnoc ,segrahc derutpac radnelac .dnob eb ,yrettab ,tluassa tnemngiarra dna dna na gnoma detavargga detavargga retfa ,tnedicca raguS ssoR ,daoR ekiP .voN s’eH eH thgiE ytnuoC eekorehC .4 045,42$ uoY“ I“ uoy uoy tahw ”.tnaw ”,pu dlot ot derit yeht eht eht fo .nam .wonk ,wonk ,tsuj tsuj ,ti lleh eh gnivah rof .rehctapsid nedrub ezigolopa yehT oD oediv eht eht eht eht nekat swohs cilbup ,noinipo eno fo fo ton elpitlum .tneconni ni evah dnuof .seinolef yleritne stsilcyc stsilcyc truoc ,tcerroc gnittimmoc yb neeb seitirohtua era a ssoR fI tuB dnoces-41 htiw ,ediw erew .llew pu ciffart ot eerht eht eht taht detrats ,dias dias gnidir gnisufer .revo evom tsom .enal wonk tsuj ti .tnedicni ni gnidloh eh dah srevird debircsed noitacilpmoc llac dekcolb selcycib dna lla retfa a a yehT ssoR tI eH 119 uoY“ I“ uoy uoy tahw ”.tnaw ”,pu dlot ot derit yeht eht eht fo .nam .wonk ,wonk ,tsuj tsuj ,ti lleh eh gnivah rof .rehctapsid nedrub ezigolopa yehT oD oediv eht eht eht eht nekat swohs cilbup ,noinipo eno fo fo ton elpitlum .tneconni ni evah dnuof .seinolef yleritne stsilcyc stsilcyc truoc ,tcerroc gnittimmoc yb neeb seitirohtua era a ssoR fI tuB dnoces-41 htiw ohw detnev rieht eht eht eht naht elgnis dluohs dluohs tnemges dias edir nwo srehto eno no swen erom .ladem ynam tsael detsisni ni teg snoitartsurf morf .elif werd decnuoned .stsilcyc stsilcyc tsilcyc stnemmoc sretnemmoc dedilloc demalb tuoba a .ebuTuoY elihW VT-BSW emoS ,ssoR ssoR .toliP adnoH tA rehtonA A 000,5 ohw erehw .sweiv oediv pu koot eht naht dekcar detsop no erom noillim ti ti tsilcyc ehT ,margatsnI 7.2 ,elihw denrut eht ffo eh .stnemmoc a retfA sraey htiw htiw erehw erehw erehw hctaw saw pu dlot ot ot eht eht eht eht eht yrots dneps tis ecnis edis rewohs emas .nosirp snalp no fo fo on lanoitan edam edam devil ,enil stimil ti sweivretni noitnetni tnedicni ni ni ni ni esuoh sih sih sih sih llih s’eh senildaeh eh eh eh sah gniog .llabtoof yllanif lanif evisnetxe ysae llebrood niatruc cas-ed-luc derevoc raelc ytic riahc nac yb neewteb dna dna dna dna dna dna na a a kroY kcotsdooW ehT ehT ,ZMT ssoR .tsoP ,elpoeP ,rebotcO weN .yaM ,noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ tI eH srotaG srotaG srotaG notluF adirolF adirolF ytnuoC atnaltA lirpA ,6891 gnorw lliw ot taht taht evorp no gnihton stsisni ni eh thgif did yad .mialc raguS ssoR daoR ekiP eH .lirpA ll’I“ ot siht eht ekat .dias eh emerpuS ”,truoC Jerry Wayne Ross shows a photo of a scene of his incident at his home in Woodstock, on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026. He now has court-ordered driving restrictions and faces criminal charges after an incident with cyclists in April 2026. (Abbey Cutrer/AJC) ## Not first run-in between cyclists and motorists on Sugar Pike Road tsew erew saw ot yeht rieht eht eht eht suoires .sredir .edir raluger dennalp no fo ton htron .selim pool tfel ni ni puorg rof tsetsaf nwotnwod stsilcyc tub ta dna noonretfa tuoba a ,liatetihW liatetihW yadsruhT sihT yehT notliM etaL selcyciB lirpA 33 ,32 01 htiw ot siht eht eht eht eht eht taht sbrubus snoisividbus nretsaehtuos erahs lareves demees edir gnitaerter strap fo fo fo ortem .enil enil dnal ni ni gnisuoh sllih neerg gnizarg snoitinifed ,edisyrtnuoc esolc .elttac neewteb era dna dna gnicnavda erehT raguS daoR ekiP ,ytnuoC eekorehC ,atnaltA gnolA hcihw .llew retaw saw kcurt gniworht eht eht taht reganeet daor .edir troper ecilop pukcip tsap renwo no no fo fo ton lacol wenk tpek ni ni sih .daeh eh morf gnivird ypoc elttob ta dna dettimda a a a a a liatetihW raguS enuahS ekiP ,nemasyuH nemasyuH eH tuB ,selcyciB 1202 On April 23, 2026, a group of 10 cyclists left Whitetail Bicycles in downtown Milton for a regular Thursday ride that crossed into Cherokee County. (Thomas Lake/AJC) nehw ,leehw ysaenu rieht eht eht eht ylbirret emos emos .sthgir ,sredir pihsnoitaler elpoep fo .stsirotom etaredisnocni stsilcyc stsilcyc neewteb dniheb evaheb gnitressa sa era dna degdelwonkca yadsruhT enO tsuJ leoJ ,ybaE s’tI“ uoy uoy ”,dluohs .dias naem ,ekil tsuj eh t’nseod nac esuaceb erew erew pu srotcart yeht meht meht eht eht dewols was larur .sdaor elpoep trap ro ro no netfo .ffo fo ?ton ni nward-esroh werg og gnippilf ,srevird nwod t’ndid gnisruc esruoc ,yrtnuoc .ytinummoc segairrac tub ta dnuora dna .detpecca yhW yehT yehT ,ainavlysnneP fO ybaE hsimA tuohtiw lliw erehw .yaw tsav ot yeht meht eht eht eht eht ekat yats sdaor ssap strap tuo no fo fo fo fo ytirojam senal ti .tnedicni ni ni pleh rof srevird detacided stsilcyc stsilcyc ,yrtnuoc ,seitic niatrec niatrec ekib emoceb ,era ydaerla detpecca tahW ebyaM nevE ?aciremA htiw lliw ohw selcihev .owt ot ot ot meht eht wols erahs daor ,tnemtneser tnemtneser lanoitaercer desaelp ro fo reven etunim ekil sdael ecneitapmi ecrof rof teelf neve srevird ,nwod .loretselohc eb dna setalumucca a a emoS tuB eW“ s’erehT“ htiw ohw saw ”,ciffart eht taht dias edir no on ”.ti edepmi tbuod .noonretfa tuoba netroM ,nesneJ ybaE yaw sdriht-owt hguorht hguorht yeht rieht eht eht htuos gnihtemos ,edir deladep no fo fo ,thgil ni .nroh .mih draeh gnineve-ylrae revird tsalb kcalb dniheb sa a a ehT raguS daoR .toliP ekiP adnoH ybaE tuobA A Ross with his Pilot. (Abbey Cutrer for the AJC) ## Were the cyclists following Georgia law? dluow oediv koot ot eht eht eht eht .yas gnillup ,tekcop tuo no fo fo ylraen yal retal ,ti si enohPi .nroh nroh tih sih sih eh .suounitnoc gniralb sa retfa ,seY tuohguorhT ssoR s’toliP leoJ yrreJ ybaE dediceD erehw saw ogitrev denrut eht eht eht taht gnikat erots htuos syas was sdaor thgir llup sreferp .no no ffo ecin raen elttil seidal fi emoh mih dedaeh eh eh eh eh yrecorg morf sleef ylisae .yad gnimoc gnimoc nac llac efac .selcycib esuaceb kcab kcatta dna a a raguS raguS nooS ssoR .daoR ekiP ekiP ,noitcnuJ eH eH ,rotaG tahw erew saw ,owt owt ot .eerht yeht rieht eht emos elgnis dias dias .swor edir s’retroper ,noitcellocer nep fo fo koobeton wal ni ni sih eh eh dah ruof .noitamrof .elif neve werd margaid stsilcyc ,sretnemmoc deworrob deveileb dna dna dna a a ebuTuoY ,eerhT ekiL nI eH aigroeG llahs“ llahs“ owt ot yeht yeht eseht eht eht eht .taht naht edis syas yas yawdaor thgir edir edir ”.elbacitcarp fo .ton ton ton raen erom ?swal wal yllareneg seod stsilcyc yb sa sa dna ”,tsaerba gnidiba ereW ebyaM tI aigroeG [ From 2019: In terms of bike safety, Georgia falls near the middle of the pack ](https://www.ajc.com/lifestyles/terms-bike-safety-georgia-falls-near-the-middle-the-pack/xTAWkHfSBcc3HwjEyu1ZxI/) .haeY“ ,hO“ .ediw nehw nehw erew tnew semit eerht ereht eht dias ”.elbissop ”,elbissop no s’ti fi puorg deksa raguS daoR ekiP s’tI ybaE lliw .ediw ot ot eerht yeht eht eht eht eht taht sekat evrews evrews enoemos emos os .emas gnidir seriuqer citamgarp .elohtop fo raen thgim thgim thgim ekil stih og tnorf noitamrof enoyreve gnivird revird .nwod ,gniod od .gnikam-noisiced tsilcyc tsilcyc hsarc noitcaer-niahc ,rac ,sekarb ekib diova diova rehtona a a a a a semitemoS tsuJ nI fI A ”elbacitcarp“ ”raen“ ot ot ot ot siht sgniht eht eht yats dnats edis thgir .esicerp ,elbacitcarp nepo raen erom ?naem ?naem wal .noitaterpretni rof seod seod evitcerid gnitcerid stsilcyc dluoc eb sa sa era tahW tahW esehT sA wolley dluow htiw .ediw erew saw pu pu sdriht-owt enal-owt owt ot sretrauq-eerht yeht yeht yeht eht eht eht eht gnikat gnikat deyats erehwemos dias daor .etiuq fo ton .enil .enal ,enal sllih evah og detamitse eritne elbuod .reffid ,stsilcyc ,tsilcyc ,tsilcyc .sevruc ssorc ?demialc neewteb sa dnuora rehtona dna dna a teY ereW ,anreV oT ssoR ssoR drahciR ekiM seiromeM ebyaM tI ,snilloC rehtonA Cyclist Richard Collins estimated they were taking up somewhere between two-thirds and three-quarters of the lane. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) ## A lawyer’s advice for his fellow cyclists wolley nehw .semit semit esoht eht syas eno fo enil yllagel si si trepxe elbuod gnissorc niatrec wal-ekib selcycib yenrotta era dna ,elbatpecca erehT gnissaP .negaH rutaceD ecurB dluow dluow htiw tahw .efasnu ot eht eht eht taht etats wols ,syas ro fo gnivael tsael wal ,enal ti ,elbissopmi lagelli fi og .teef tpecxe nwod ,tsilcyc tsilcyc .noituac reffub ,eb eb ta dnuora .yletamixorppa dna na tnecajda a fI s’ereH egnahC hcaorppA 3 ?selcihev yleuqinu detaert ot ot esoht .siht yeht eht eht taht taht dluohs stniop tuo ylno netfo .snoitcurtsbo stcejbo ton ton enil ekil otni .tneinevnocni gnivah epirg ecrof mraf ?tnempiuqe revird t’nod ammelid ssorc retnec selcycib eb diova sa era tuoba tuoba a a tahW ,suhT stsirotoM negaH noitcurtsnoC uoY“ er’uoy er’uoy ruoy ohw ot emit ,meht eht sllet syas no ton deen deen ekil tsuj sih eh sah .ecnadiug rof rof wollef yreve eritne srevird .stsilcyc ”.ytinummoc ,ekib ekib na rodassabma ecivda ,tca s’tI eH negaH ,gnorw ,weiv siht eht eht dradnats gnihtemos ,yteicos eno eno fo tsum hcum tsuj si si teg .ecaf .revird revird elbuod seod stsilcyc tsilcyc tsilcyc .emalb dab dab lla a a nehW nI s’negaH roF esu pu elbaifirevnu nrut ot emit hguorht yeht yeht meht rieht eht eht pots .deeps ?semitemos .sngis .slangis .syas llor kcip .senohp fo fo sekam wal wal eh liaf yreve :srevird .evird stsilcyc ,esruoc ,esruoc mialc kaerb kaerb dlob dna tuoba a yehT yehT yehT fO negaH oD tuB dnA llA dluow dluow htiw tahw .efasnu ot eht eht eht taht etats wols ,syas ro fo gnivael tsael wal ,enal ti ,elbissopmi lagelli fi og .teef tpecxe nwod ,tsilcyc tsilcyc .noituac reffub ,eb eb ta dnuora .yletamixorppa dna na tnecajda a fI s’ereH egnahC hcaorppA 3 ?selcihev yleuqinu detaert ot ot esoht .siht yeht eht eht taht taht dluohs stniop tuo ylno netfo .snoitcurtsbo stcejbo ton ton enil ekil otni .tneinevnocni gnivah epirg ecrof mraf ?tnempiuqe revird t’nod ammelid ssorc retnec selcycib eb diova sa era tuoba tuoba a a tahW ,suhT stsirotoM negaH noitcurtsnoC uoY“ er’uoy er’uoy ruoy ohw ot emit ,meht eht sllet syas no ton deen deen ekil tsuj sih eh sah .ecnadiug rof rof wollef yreve eritne srevird .stsilcyc ”.ytinummoc ,ekib ekib na rodassabma ecivda ,tca s’tI eH negaH ,gnorw ,weiv siht eht eht dradnats gnihtemos ,yteicos eno eno fo tsum hcum tsuj si si teg .ecaf .revird revird elbuod seod stsilcyc tsilcyc tsilcyc .emalb dab dab lla a a nehW nI s’negaH roF esu pu elbaifirevnu nrut ot emit hguorht yeht yeht meht rieht eht eht pots .deeps ?semitemos .sngis .slangis .syas llor kcip .senohp fo fo sekam wal wal eh liaf yreve :srevird .evird stsilcyc ,esruoc ,esruoc mialc kaerb kaerb dlob dna tuoba a yehT yehT yehT fO negaH oD tuB dnA llA raey htiw saw saw .kcurt gnidir pukcip ,rentrap wal wal dellik si si ni sih .enog mrif noisilloc dellac .elcycib a a .fpokssoR ,fpokssoR fpokssoR tsaL neK eH s’negaH s’negaH negaH tuB ,sdrow d’ohw erehw nehw saw saw .amuart siht yeht rieht eht naht kcurts emas daor rehto eno fo ton .hpm erom tfel wenk .ti si ni sih eh gniog .emag dneirf ruof deretnuocne knurd revird deid stsilcyc gnilcyc .nerdlihc yb ecrof-tnulb kcalb dniheb neeb dna ydaerla a a liatetihW ehT yadnuS ssoR ,toliP nO rebotcO oneroM nI adnoH eH zerreituG zerreituG solraC 09 5202 Bruce Hagen (left) and Ken Rosskopf were law partners who specialized in bike law. Rosskopf was on his bike in 2025 when he was fatally struck by a pickup truck. (Courtesy of Bruce Hagen) llew ot eht fo ortem sekam wonk ti si stnedicni ni sih gnilcyc .esac ssenisub erawa tuoba ssoR yrreJ eH negaH ecurB .atnaltA si“ tahW“ uoy tahw siht ,syas eh revird t’nod ”,od ”.did ## Ross passed the cyclists at very close range er’uoy uoy uoy uoy erehw tahw enal-owt lairt ot ot eht eht eht eht dils t’ndluohs ees taes .ylefas edor ,daor s’retroper tnecer detibihorp ylbaborp ecalp tsap regnessap ssap ssap revo ro ro no fo fo txen txen thgim lacidem egduj ti otni fi sih llih evah .deneppah puorg morf morf gnivird stsilcyc ,evruc gnimoc rac t’nac yb tub dniheb eb gnitiawa ta dnuora ,stnemtnioppa erehwyna dna dna .lla ,noonretfa a a a a a nehW ssoR nO dnA nehw saw elcihev dereev ot ot ot eht eht gniws ,syas syas thgir tnemaciderp ,tniop ssap eno tfel si .ni eh eh eh dah tub kcab .deraeppa rehtona sihT ssoR tA oS“ dnA“ ,me‘ me‘ epiw ot ot taht taht ,noisividbus ydobemos ydobemos .dias ”,thgir ssap revo ”.tuo tuo ro fo fo ym enal ni fi eh tog og og semoc semoc dna dna lla I I I .elcihev gnisu yrt ot ot eht eht ,thgir fo fo erom enal nroh sih sih esruoc noitanibmoc raelc esohc rehtona dna dna :noitca a yatS ssoR elcihev gniyrt ot ot ot hguoht siht meht meht eht eht taht ,detaluceps enoemos emos syas nruter dehcnup evorp ?snip enohp ,dessap eno fo .ton ton ,on on ekam ekil dekcik .ti ti tih sih eh morf llaf did yletinifed ?stsilcyc smialc t’nac sllac gnilwob ,yenrotta sa sa dna dna stimda saW ,gniyrT ssoR ffeJ siH ,relleH eH ).CJA eH( enoz wolley dluow tnew saw oediv hcuot ot meht eht eht eht eht eht edis swohs yas dellor deriter deriuqer yllaer .egnar gnissap .no fo ton rorrim rorrim nam .wal retal :yesrej ti .ni ni mih eh evig noitamrof dedlof leef t’ndid did .tsitned ylsuoregnad stsilcyc .tcatnoc esolc .yb yb reffub thgirb kcab ta sa deraeppa a a a ehT ehT ehT ehT ttocS ssoR s’toliP toliP raeN eH ,regaH regaH ,18 toof-3 htiw htiw htiw ohw saw sroirraw ,lairt dedis etihw-dna-der srotucesorp laitnetop fo ton nam draobyek yruj .yesrej ti ni sih mih evah sah dnarg .tluaf ,tsilcyc ylesolc smialc gnigrahc hsurb neeb .yrettab dekcab dehcaorppa rehtona .dezylana daeha detavargga a a a ehT emoS ,ssoR ssoR drahciR s’toliP ytnuoC snilloC eekorehC A oS“ eH“ ”,mi‘ .dias ”.em tih tih t’ndid ssoR I ## ‘Maybe I went a little bit to the left’ Richard Collins has recovered from his injury and returned to cycling. (Miguel Martinez/AJC) .tsrow saw koot eerht eht eht taht .yregrus dereffus syas deriter evitcurtsnocer no no ton dedeen raen laicafollixam gnivil .waj si ni ni sih sih eh eh eh eh tog serutcarf llaf yllautneve yad ekorb .ekib kcab kcab dna dna dna raguS daoR drahciR ekiP ,atteiraM ylatI eH gnilcyC snilloC tuB ,16 ,4202 did“ ”.arbetrev ot ereht neht ylsuoires syas suonimo fo fo ylsuoicilam derujni tnemtcidni sedulcni sih eh mrah gnirugifsid noitpircsed .tsilcyc esuac yb ylidob dna na na ehT ssoR drahciR tI snilloC htiw .skeew saw koot eht taht xis syas syas .efas gninnur edir detser derevocer yalp ,thgin erom rewol elttil retal .ti ti si detsisni ni sih s’eh eh eh eh evah erutcarf rof dehsinif desongaid tsilcyc gnilcyc dluoc noisserpmoc lausac tub .kcab rehtona dna dna na .niaga tuoba tuoba a a .rebU woN eH eH eH snilloC snilloC htiw nehw .elcihev ot semit emit yeht ereht eht eht eht eht eht dluohs syas moor thgir gnissap .rehto ro on evom erom yam ekam regnol tnedicni elbissopmi nroh raeh evah morf rof rof hcae tluciffid stsilcyc stsilcyc .evitcudorpretnuoc dluoc detanidrooc yb gniralb neeb emaceb era dna noitca a ,ssoR snilloC tuB sA ynA nehw oediv skniht eht ,taht wohs redluohs revo thgim kool .ti ?nroh sih draeh eh eh evah enod t’nseod ylraelc tub ehT diD snilloC snilloC dnA“ tnew ot eht .dias ebyam elttil ”,tfel eh tib a I .enoz dluow ohw hcihw erew saw saw saw reev .deppart drawot ot ot ot yeht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht thgiarts edis yawdaor daor ,thgir thgir thgir edir deriuqer rehto ro fo ton ton raen yllarutan tnaem yam yam lagel tfel sih sih mih evah gniog gnivig gniwollof evitcerid stsilcyc devruc .dluoc .enilretnec reffub kcalb elcycib neeb sa sa a a ehT VUS nO nO snilloC toof-3 ot moor .tfel dah og rehtraf ssoR ot moor .thgir dah og rehtraf stsilcyc ehT ohw ohw saw .elcihev ot ot eht eht eht eht eht eht eht llits depmuls edis .ecirp diap fo fo fo gnivom gnivom ,tfel gninael tpek ti ni sih ,gniog gnitteg ,drawrof llef evord ,degrevnoc ,esimorpmoc raelc .yawa tlahpsa sa dna dna tsniaga ecnesba ssoR toliP toliP eH ,snilloC snilloC snilloC dnA er’eW“ dnA“ ew ew .oediv eht dias nur ylesoprup etalp tuo ruo eno ,no no no fo ”.rebmun esnecil tsuj ti otni sih ”,ereh evah evah dah revird stsilcyc .llac ,eveileb dna a raguS ,ekiP I I ybaE dnA 119 .tey dluow htiw yaw saw saw saw ot ereht ereht rieht rieht rieht eht taht ,noos yawdaor dellup elbaborp nwo revo fo on tnemom selim edam gniwonk ti .esuoh .emoh sih sih daeh eh dah snug gnivird seituped ,raelc ,esuac .llac tub segdab dna dna dna dna a ehT ssoR ssoR morF roF 119 4