‘His life mattered’: Dougherty Co. family fights for justice in 2019 fatal wreck

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - Four years later, a Dougherty County family is pleading for justice after a 2019 car crash took the lives of two of their loved ones. The family is upset, still waiting for the person charged in connection with those deaths to face trial.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t hold you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t get to you. I’m sorry that I couldn’t fix you and I’m sorry that there’s been no justice,” Cathy Hubbard, wife and mom of the victims said while recalling that horrific day.

On March 26, 2019, Cathy was in the family’s truck with her two sons and husband traveling north on Gravel Hill Road when they were struck by a car traveling east on Nelms Road.

“It pushed us over into this ditch here and we went down in it and became airborne and we flipped and rolled until we landed where the cross sits,” she said pointing to the area where the accident happened.

Cathy’s 15-year-old son, Wesley Hubbard, was ejected from the car and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband, Dale, who was pinned in the car with her at the time of the wreck died five weeks after it happened.

Prosecutors indicted Ryan Jewell, who was allegedly driving the other car, with eight charges, including two counts of vehicular homicide. Investigators said Jewell was distracted when he failed to stop at the stop sign.

Still, Cathy said there’s been no action taken in her family’s case.

“Every day, I am reminded of what happened here. I want to be able to let it go and one day soon, I pray that I’ll be able to. But I can’t right now. Not until there’s justice,” she said.

According to the Dougherty County Clerk’s records, there was an initial trial set for Aug. 15, 2022. The defendant’s lawyer then filed a waiver of arraignment pleading not guilty. Now, this year, there is a hearing scheduled for April 18 where they will look at the status of this case.

“We are making every effort to move the case with the motion. Every case is important. This case is important, you know. We’re going to give it our utmost attention. We just have to you know get the opportunity to present it to the court,” said Gregory Edwards, Dougherty County district attorney.

Cathy visits her husband and son’s memorial every day at 10:33 a.m. — the exact time her life was turned upside down forever. Even after four years, she said her son and husband’s love is felt throughout the community as many people continue to honor them, including Wesley’s best friend Chloe Mobley.

“He made everybody laugh and he just had that personality. Just a go-getting personality,” she said.

Cathy said she will spend her whole life fighting for justice.

“They deserve to be remembered and their lives to be acknowledged and for someone to be held accountable,” she said.

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