A young woman's life ended tragically at a Georgia golf cart plant when her search for dropped AirPods led her beneath a conveyor belt that ultimately claimed her life. Alyssa Drinkard, 21, was reportedly attempting to retrieve her missing AirPods at the Club Car plant off Washington Road on March 8 when she became entangled in the machinery's deadly embrace, according to the Columbia County Sheriff's Office.
The tragic incident was met with a swift response from emergency services after coworkers sounded the alarm. Drinkard, found pinned under the conveyor belt and unresponsive, was swiftly extricated with a pulse, only to succumb to her injuries later at a local hospital, confirmed deputies to FOX 5 Atlanta. A witness to the accident described how Drinkard's attempt to reach her AirPods led her into the conveyor's path and resulted in her being dragged by the chain that moved the belt.
In the wake of Drinkard's death, Club Car issued a statement, which was relayed by local news outlets. "On Friday evening, a contract labor worker experienced a critical injury while working at our main manufacturing facility in Evans. First responders were immediately notified, and we thank them for their quick response to provide medical care and transportation to the hospital where the worker unfortunately later passed away," the company stated. They continued, "Our sincere condolences and thoughts are with the family, friends and all impacted by this loss. We are working with authorities and the contractor in an investigation to determine the facts about what led to the incident," as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Details of the accident were further outlined in a report obtained by WSB-TV, explaining that after Drinkard got caught in a belt chain of the conveyor, a co-worker alerted maintenance to shut down the machine. Firefighters had to dismantle part of the conveyor to free Drinkard, who was not breathing at the time of rescue. Despite their efforts and subsequent transport to the hospital, Drinkard died from her injuries, WSB reported.
