Two Georgia Southern University students were killed in a head-on collision on Interstate 16 in Laurens County on Nov. 26, 2017, when authorities say a wrong-way driver slammed into their car near mile marker 34. One of the vehicles burst into flames, and both students were pronounced dead at the scene. The other driver survived and was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the crash happened around 1:15 a.m. when a Toyota Avalon driven by 27-year-old Jared Adler of Sandy Springs was traveling westbound in the eastbound lanes and hit a Saturn L200 carrying the students. Troopers said the Avalon erupted in flames on impact and the Saturn was quickly engulfed. The Georgia State Patrol told FOX 5 that charges were pending as investigators worked through the details of the wreck.
The victims were identified as brothers Jack Deacon Harris, 20, and Garrett Harris, 18, who were on their way back to campus after Thanksgiving break, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Family and friends described them as close, active in their community, and deeply rooted in their hometown, where a memorial service was later scheduled.
University response
Georgia Southern officials said the campus community was “saddened to learn of the accident” and announced that counseling resources were available for students coping with the news, the university spokesperson told the Statesboro Herald. The school extended its deepest sympathies to the Harris family as students and staff mourned the loss of the two brothers.
Investigation and legal status
Authorities said collision investigators with the Georgia State Patrol processed the scene and reviewed potential charges in the days after the crash. In a later development, a suspect was arrested in May 2018 in connection with the deadly collision, WTOC reported.
I-16’s deadly history
Interstate 16 has a grim track record when it comes to fatal crashes. In April and May 2015, back-to-back wrecks on the corridor killed 10 people, including five Georgia Southern nursing students, spotlighting long-running safety concerns on the rural interstate, Patch noted. Wrong-way crashes on stretches like the one in Laurens County remain a priority for troopers and highway safety advocates.
Investigators asked anyone who was driving near mile marker 34 on Nov. 26, 2017, and who might have dash-cam or surveillance video, to contact the Georgia State Patrol’s Dublin post to help piece together the moments before the impact. In the weeks that followed, friends and classmates organized memorials and fundraisers, as the Georgia Southern community tried to honor the brothers while grappling with how suddenly they were gone.
