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Several speeding cases in Clayton County resolved with probation, fines and driver‑improvement courses
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Summary
At arraignment Judge Hayward accepted negotiated pleas in multiple high‑speed cases, including a guilty plea at 111 mph and nolo pleas at 97 mph and 103 mph; sentences included probation, driver improvement classes, fines and in one case temporary jail credit.
Judge Tammy Long Hayward accepted negotiated pleas and no‑contest pleas Wednesday in several high‑speed driving cases heard in Clayton County State Court, imposing probation, driver‑improvement courses and monetary penalties in routine traffic dispositions that the court emphasized as public‑safety interventions.
In one of the most severe matters, the court accepted a guilty plea from Veil Brown after prosecutors said officers observed her driving 111 mph in a 65‑mph zone. The judge sentenced Brown to 12 months of probation, a $500 fine and a driver‑improvement course; probation will terminate when the fine is paid and the class completed. The court warned Brown of the mortal risk posed by extreme speeds.
The court also accepted negotiated pleas in other high‑speed cases. Dwan Rashid Young pleaded nolo contendere to speeding 31–34 mph over the limit, and was sentenced to 12 months probation, a $500 fine, and a required driver‑improvement course; the court noted the case qualifies as a “super speeder” and cautioned Young about additional Department of Driver Services penalties. Thomas Victor Sway pleaded no contest to a charge after officers recorded 103 mph in a 65‑mph zone; the court ordered probation, a driver‑improvement class and a $500 fine, with probation to terminate upon payment and course completion.
Why it matters: The court repeatedly framed high‑speed driving as a public‑safety hazard and used probation plus education to try to reduce recidivism rather than immediately imposing jail terms. Judges and prosecutors told multiple defendants to enroll in Georgia Department of Driver Services‑approved driver improvement courses and to provide court‑acceptable certificates.
The cases were presented by the state’s solicitors and resolved by negotiated pleas or nolo pleas; the court instructed defendants to complete probation reporting and course requirements promptly and to check with probation staff for intake and supervision details.
