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Man accused of running down cyclist expected to take plea deal

Decatur Metro ATL

Man accused of running down cyclist expected to take plea deal

Joseph Alan Lewis, right, speaks with his attorney Overton Thierry, left, during an Aug. 1, 2014 preliminary hearing. File photo by Dan Whisenhunt
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Joseph Alan Lewis, right, speaks with his attorney Overton Thierry, left, during an Aug. 1, 2014 preliminary hearing. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

Joseph Alan Lewis, right, speaks with his previous attorney Overton Thierry, left, during an Aug. 1, 2014 preliminary hearing. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

A man accused of intentionally running over a cyclist Greg Germani with a SUV is expected to plead guilty to some of the charges.

Beth Harrill, Germani’s girlfriend and chief advocate, confirmed over social media that defendant Joseph Lewis will receive a 15-year sentence in exchange for the guilty plea. She did not know which charges Lewis intends to plead guilty to.

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Lewis is facing charges of criminal attempt to commit murder, aggravated assault, first degree criminal damage to property, aggressive driving, serious injury by vehicle and reckless driving. He is accused of using his red dodge Nitro to run Germani down on June 9, 2014 and leaving the cyclist to die.

Germani had been riding home from his job at Turner Broadcasting. The incident is believed to have occurred after Germani exchanged words with the driver of the Nitro.

Germani is also the man behind the well-known Atlanta Time Machine website which publishes “then and now” photos of the city.

Lewis, who moved to Atlanta from Michigan, is an aspiring musician. He retained the services of Dwight Thomas, a celebrity attorney who has represented the rapper T.I.

The attack inflicted a brain injury so severe that Germani is never expected to fully recover.

Harrill said the plea would allow Germani and his friends and family to move forward.

“It’s been a really tough few weeks for Greg, but I think that this is the right result,” she said. “We’re ready to move on and focus on the future.”

She said sentencing would occur this Tuesday.

There’s no word on what will happen to Lewis’ girlfriend, Shanelle Woodard. She was accused of helping Lewis cover up the crime.

During a hearing in August 2014, a detective said that shortly after the attack on Germani, Lewis took a trip to Las Vegas, abandoning his Midtown apartment. The red Nitro was in the parking deck, concealed with vehicle covers. Police and prosecutors allege that Woodard helped Lewis purchase the vehicle covers.

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