Crashes on state roads killed 15 people over the three-day Labor Day weekend, according to the Georgia Department of Public Safety.
That’s fewer crash deaths than during the same period in 2024, when 20 were killed in wrecks, the department said. But this year’s number could still rise if those seriously injured don’t survive.
“Our mission remains focused on saving lives and reducing crashes,” the DPS said. “Thank you to everyone who made safe driving choices this holiday period.”
The news was better for those who hit the water for the last hurrah of summer: No drownings were reported, the state Department of Natural Resources said Tuesday.
Young drivers and passengers were among those involved in crashes in North Georgia and the Atlanta area. One teenager was killed, one teen was injured, and at least two children were among the victims of separate crashes Monday, according to investigators.
In Fulton County, two people were killed and a juvenile injured in a head-on crash at 9:18 a.m., the state patrol said.
Investigators say they believe a Volkswagen SUV was northbound on Roosevelt Highway in the right lane when the driver attempted to turn left onto Lower Dixie Lake Road.
The driver of the Chevrolet, Miriam Tookes, and front passenger Ronald Tookes, were both killed. The juvenile passenger in the backseat was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment. The driver and passenger of the Volkswagen were also taken to Grady for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, the state patrol said.
Earlier Monday, a 17-year-old was killed after leaving a Lumpkin County road, traveling down an embankment, striking a power pole and guard rail, and overturning in a creek, according to investigators.
Ayden James Molinari of Dahlonega was killed in the single-vehicle crash at 6:42 a.m. on Wimpy Mill Road, investigators said. A 16-year-old passenger in the 2008 Ford Mustang sustained minor injuries.
“Please pray for one of our local families who lost their 17-year-old child in a vehicle accident this morning,” Lumpkin Sheriff Stacy Jarrard said in a Facebook post. “Pray for comfort, strength, and healing during this challenging time.”
Additional counseling resources were brought Tuesday to Lumpkin County High School, where Molinari attended, the school district said.
A 7-year-old boy was ejected from an SUV in a hit-and-run crash Monday afternoon that closed I-75 for about three hours in Bartow County, investigators said.
The driver accused of causing the multiple-vehicle crash continued driving, the state patrol said.
At 4:29 p.m., a white Toyota Camry traveling north on I-75 in the middle lane was hit by a white passenger car, causing the Toyota to hit a white Suburban in another lane, according to investigators.
“The Camry and the Suburban then traveled into the median and through the cable barrier,” the state patrol said. “The Suburban began to overturn and traveled into the southbound lanes of I-75 striking a black Chevrolet Silverado in the left southbound lane.”
That caused the Silverado to overturn, ejecting the child. The boy, whose name was not released, was flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite for treatment. His condition was not released.
Three others involved in the crash were taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital for treatment.
An ATV crash just over the state line in Alabama killed two from Rome on Saturday, according to the Cherokee County, Alabama, coroner.
Marcus Ragland, 34, died at the scene of the crash at Indian Mountain ATV Park. Ashley Brooke Hawkins, 31, died from her injuries at a Birmingham hospital.
Investigators said the couple and seven children were on an ATV when it collided with another vehicle. The children survived but were being treated at hospitals for various injuries.
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