Teen Sandreas Hillsman dies after falling off moving car; Friend charged

A Union City teenager remains in jail on vehicular homicide charges after police say his friend fell off his car while hanging on to the outside of it.

Sandreas Hillsman died Tuesday afteoon from head injuries sustained when he fell off the car driven by his friend Malik McDaniel.

Union City police said Hillsman was riding on the running boards while hanging on to the outside of the car, but some neighbors and family believe Hillsman was actually riding on top of the vehicle, something often referred to as "car surfing."

Malik McDaniel

According to police, Hillsman lost his grip and fell when McDaniel took a coer inside the Shannon Hills Townhomes on Flat Shoals Road.

"I just seen him lying on the ground with his head bandage," said neighbor Stanley Williams. "But the way he looked, I knew he wasn't going to make it."

Williams took cellphone video of EMTs as they worked on Hillsman. The video shows them placing Hillsman in a neck brace and onto a backboard before rushing him to Grady Hospital; however, the head injuries were too severe. Hillsman died hours later.

Police charged McDaniel with vehicular homicide, reckless conduct and driving on a suspended license. He waived his first court appearance Wednesday moing.

"It's a great loss," said Hillsman's brother J'Michael Garrett.  "Something that we've got to deal with."