WOODBINE, Ga. — The driver of a semi-truck involved in a multi-vehicle wreck that killed 4 people on I-95 in Camden County, Georgiain July 2022 will go to trial next week.
Nicholas Burist was indicted on 16 counts, including vehicular homicide. He is accused of being drunk behind the wheel of a semi-truck that caused the deadly accident near the Florida-Georgia border on July 1, 2022.
The family of two of the victims said they want to see justice served.
James and Wanda Howard said the loss of their daughter Jamie Sloan and granddaughter Rylie Sloan was difficult enough, but they've had to relive their pain every time a trial date has been delayed. They hope next week's trial lets them find some closure.
News that their family was involved in a wreck sent James and Wanda Howard driving to Camden County from their home in South Carolina, frantically making phone calls on the condition of their daughter.
"I said, 'did we lose Jamie?' they said 'no, we lost them both,'" recalled Wanda Howard, "I thought I was going to have a heart attack, that's the worst information anyone can ever give me on the phone. It was just terrible."
Their daughter and granddaughter, as well as Michael Hines and Charles Davenport died in the wreck.
"It was devastating when we got the news," said James Howard. "We have two daughters and two granddaughters and basically we lost half our family. We feel like this man needs to be in jail for a long time, he's 45 years old, possibly the rest of his life."
Rylie Sloan was only 14 years old when she died. Already an accomplished pole vaulter, the community raised money to create a scholarship in her name that has been awarded annually.
"We still think about them every day, still have our crying spells. It's been the support of the community that helps us," said James.
They hope this trial can help other families avoid their pain.
"We have to go visit the cemetery, we don't get to talk to them," said Wanda Howard, "I have pictures of both of them, it helps to talk about it to people."
"It's about our daughter and granddaughter and about the other two he killed also," said James Howard. "He killed 4 and injured 4 people very badly and destroyed some families and this man has shown no remorse, he's never once said he was sorry."
Jury selection in this trial begins at 9am in the Camden County Courthouse. The Howards said they'll be in the courtroom to represent their daughter and granddaughter every day of the trial.