Driver charged in deadly bike crash wants change of venue

The driver who is accused of DUI and other offenses in a crash that killed a University of Georgia graduate student wants her trial moved out of Athens.

Whitney Baker Howard, 32, allegedly had several drugs in her system in September 2016 when she crashed her vehicle into a group of bicyclists.

The crash killed Ashley Block, 25, and injured two other cyclists, police said. Howard has pleaded not guilty.

Howard said “she is entitled” by law to be tried in a different county because she did not believe an impartial jury can be found in Athens, according to a motion filed in Clarke County Superior Court.

No court date has been set to argue the motion.

The crash happened when Block and the other cyclists were on a group ride, police said. When Howard reached to answer her phone, her Jeep swerved to the other side of the road and hit the cyclists head-on.

Howard’s 2-year-old daughter was in the car with her, police said.