Sumanth Rao, the chief financial officer of Flair Airlines, is facing involuntary manslaughter charges following a tragic car accident that resulted in the death of a teenager. The incident occurred on February 24th, when Rao’s daughter and two friends, all underage, were allegedly allowed to consume alcohol at his Atlanta-area home.
According to the district attorney for DeKalb County, Georgia, a grand jury has indicted Rao, his wife, and the 18-year-old driver of the SUV involved in the crash. The district attorney’s office alleges that the teenagers shared a bottle of wine in the presence of Rao and his wife, who then permitted them to leave the house for a drive shortly before midnight.
The SUV, driven by Hannah Hackemeyer, crashed on a residential road. Data retrieved from the vehicle revealed that Hackemeyer was traveling at an excessively high speed, exceeding the speed limit by approximately 100 km/h, and failed to apply the brakes before the crash.
While Rao’s daughter and Hackemeyer survived the crash, a passenger, Sophia Lekiachvili, sustained fatal injuries and died in the hospital. Hackemeyer has been charged with vehicular homicide and impaired driving.
Flair Airlines has acknowledged the situation and stated that they have implemented measures to ensure operational continuity while Rao’s legal proceedings are underway. Rao, who was appointed as CFO in August, now faces serious charges in connection with the tragic death of a young woman. This case raises concerns about parental responsibility and the devastating consequences of underage drinking and driving.
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