Nicholas Meyer, who has a history of nearly 44 traffic citations going back to 1999 when his licence was suspended and revoked, was denied his motion to modify release conditions on Friday because he is a “danger to the community,” according to Judge Sunita Cairo.

Meyer had repeatedly been cited for driving with a suspended license and several other traffic violations. He has also been charged with three felonies, including possession of drug paraphernalia, facilitating theft of means of transportation and criminal possession of a forgery device.

In Oct. 2024, Meyer was driving on a suspended license when his vehicle struck a stalled vehicle in the shoulder, according to court documents. 23-year-old Zoey Johnson, who was putting gas in her friend’s car, was killed, and Rayme Barnes was seriously injured and hospitalized.

 “There isn't a day that goes by that I don't have flashbacks of everything that has happened and everything single thing that I saw and heard that day,” Rayme Barnes said, “I loved and looked up to Zoey [who] was a light in this dark world, and she should be walking freely on this earth, not the defendant.”

Barnes' car broke down on the side of the road, and she called her friend to help her.

Meyer has been charged with causing death by use of vehicle, serious harm by use of vehicle and driving with a suspended licence.

Family and friends of the victims packed the courtroom full, and dozens more watched from the hallway during Friday’s proceedings. Six family members and friends gave statements urging Judge Cairo to keep Meyer in custody before the trial.

Friends and family, who donned t-shirts, bracelets and tattoos saying “shred like Zoey”, wondered why Meyer was able to drive that day and was not already facing charges.

“We're not even calling it an accident,” Zoey’s father ,Troy Clemens, said, “It was more like it was bound to happen at some point.”

Family lawyer Clifford Sheer raised concerns over the substance of the motion “for what is probably the most frivolous motion I have ever seen in my 50 years of practicing law.”

Meyer’s motion stated he had “strong ties in the community” and “strong family support”. Sheer raised concerns over the vagueness of the motion.

“It is unsubstantiated and really an insult to the court and to anyone who had to deal with it and read it,” Sheer said.

“She was always seeking adventures and [was] just the liveliest person you'll ever meet in your life,” Samantha Clemens, Zoey’s mother said, “She just loved people. She's had so much love for everybody.”

Clemens said once the trial was over, she would spend the rest of her life making sure people like Meyer don’t get to stay on the road.
“I feel our justice system has failed us and not held the defendant accountable or taken measures to keep him from getting behind the wheel despite the outrageous amount of driving violations against him, “ Clemens said.