CARROLLTON, Ga. (Court TV) — The surviving victims of a fatal crash involving a former state trooper testified Wednesday in the defendant’s homicide trial.
Anthony James “A.J.” Scott is charged with two counts of second-degree homicide by vehicle as well as two counts of serious injury by vehicle, speeding and reckless driving. At the time of the crash, Scott was a trooper with Georgia State Patrol.
Crash survivor Benjamin Finken testifies in the trial of former state trooper A.J. Scott on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Court TV)
Passenger recalls night of crash
Benjamin Finken, who was 17 at the time of the crash and is now 27, suffered a traumatic brain injury in the Sept. 26, 2015, crash. Two teenage girls in the car, 16-year-old Isabella Chinchilla and 17-year-old Kylie Lindsey, were killed in the crash. The driver, Dillon Wall, suffered a fractured skull.
Finken testified that he initially drove his Nissan Sentra to Dillon Wall’s house before the group went to Thomas “T.J.” Silvey’s grandparents’ property, describing how he initially forgot that Kylie Lindsey and Isabella Chinchilla had asked to stop at McDonald’s on the way.
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At Silvey’s, Finken and Dillon’s younger brother, Quinton Wall, were upstairs in a workshop with Lindsey and Chinchilla, listening to music and hanging out, Finken testified. He mentioned there were leftover cupcakes from a senior party, but the girls were still hungry and wanted to go to McDonald’s.
When they left to get food, Dillon took over driving Finken’s car. Finken explained he handed over the keys because it was getting close to his curfew time, and Dillon had expressed concerns about Finken’s driving on the way to Silvey’s house. Finken testified that he was sitting in the passenger seat, Chinchilla was sitting behind him, and Lindsey was sitting behind Dillon, the driver.
FILE – Isabella Chinchilla and Kylie Lindsey (Tori Wood/Family provided)
Finken testified that he doesn’t remember if they ever reached McDonald’s. His last memory before the crash was pulling out of a Kangaroo gas station. He recalled being on his phone during an argument with his girlfriend when Dillon made a turn. Finken looked up, saw lights, and his next memory was waking up at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
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The crash survivor spent about a week in the hospital and underwent rehabilitation while dealing with his traumatic brain injury.
During cross-examination by defense attorney Mac Pilgrim, Finken described his Nissan Sentra as an early-2000s model hand-me-down that he didn’t consider fast. He also confirmed that the group had only been at Silvey’s for about 10 to 15 minutes before leaving to get food for the girls. Finken also said he has no memory of anyone consuming alcohol that night.
Driver of vehicle testifies
Dillon, who was 18 at the time of the collision and is now 28, also took the stand. Dillon was driving the Nissan Sentra when it was struck by Scott’s patrol car.
Dillon testified that the group was only at Silvey’s for about 10 to 15 minutes before leaving because “the girls were hungry.” Dillon’s younger brother stayed behind with Silvey due to a lack of space in the car.
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Dillon said he drove the group that night to get food because Finken had recently gotten his license and wasn’t supposed to be driving that late at night.
“I just remember putting the keys in the ignition, and that’s about it,” Wall said. “I don’t remember actually driving anywhere… just waking up at Grady, I don’t know how many days later.”
Crash survivor Dillon Wall testifies in the trial of former state trooper A.J. Scott on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. (Court TV)
Dillon testified he spent five or six days in the hospital. His injuries included a primary skull fracture and loss of hearing in his left ear, which he confirmed he still deals with today.
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During cross-examination, Dillon acknowledged he had his brother’s ID in his wallet, which he admitted using to buy alcohol in the past. However, he maintained he didn’t drink that night because he was on a workout plan.
When asked about the intersection where the crash occurred, Dillon confirmed it was on a hill with tall grass and agreed with the defense’s acknowledgement that it was “a big road, major thoroughfare,” confirming his understanding of the law requiring drivers to yield to oncoming traffic.
Due to his injuries, Dillon repeatedly stated he had no memory of the crash itself when the defense repeatedly asked about details. “Sir, I had a brain injury. I don’t remember anything,” he testified.
This story was reported by John Cowley IV and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
