Hall County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) deputies have charged a Gainesville man with first-degree
vehicular homicide in an October traffic accident that resulted in the death of a Gainesville woman.
HCSO NEWS RELEASE:
“HCSO Accident Investigation Unit (AIU) deputies took custody of Joshua Rene Castaneda, 33, at his
residence on Gould Drive on Monday afternoon, Nov. 4. The AIU obtained the arrest warrant for
Castaneda following the Monday morning death of Frankie Smith Shoemake, 82. Shoemake, a
passenger in the victim vehicle, died at Northeast Georgia Medical Center Gainesville. She had been
hospitalized since the Oct. 30 accident at McEver Road and Gould Drive.
According to the investigation, George Turpin, 61, of Gainesville, was driving north on McEver Road
in a 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser. Castaneda, driving a 2008 GMC Yukon, was southbound on McEver
Road when he turned left onto Gould Drive and into the path of Turpin’s vehicle. The turn caused a
broadside collision. Castaneda fled on foot from the accident scene.
Hall County Fire Rescue transported Turpin and his passenger (Shoemake) to the hospital. Turpin suffered serious but nonlife-threatening injuries.
Castaneda turned himself in at the Hall County Jail on the morning of Oct. 31. Deputies initially cited
him for driving while unlicensed, failure to yield to a vehicle turning left and duty to stop at an
accident (hit and run). He posted $2,930 bond later in the day and was released.
Castaneda was being held without bond on Tuesday afternoon, Nov. 5, following his latest arrest.”