APRIL 23, 2015
ELLABELLE, GEORGIA
Two metro Atlanta students were among five Georgia Southern
nursing students killed in a crash early Wednesday.
Authorities said the accident happened after a
tractor-trailer failed to slow down and smashed into stop-and-go traffic on
Interstate 16 west of Savannah.
School officials identified those killed as Emily Clark,
from Powder Springs; Catherine (McKay) Pittman, from Alpharetta; Morgan Bass,
of Leesburg; Abbie Deloach, of Savannah; and Caitlyn Baggett, of Millen, Ga.
They were all juniors at the school.
St. Joseph's/Candler Health System said all five were
Georgia residents commuting to St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah for their
final clinical rotation of the school year.
Two other students, Brittney McDaniel, of Reidsville, and
Megan Richards, of Loganville, were also injured and are being treated.
Sgt. 1st Class Chris Nease of the Georgia State Patrol said
the deadly collision began as an unrelated crash about a mile up the highway
was forcing traffic to slow down. He says a tractor-trailer slammed into an SUV
and a car before colliding with the back of a tanker truck.
Nease says the passenger car burst into flames after it was
crushed.
Georgia Southern University President Brooks Kell issued a
statement confirming that the accident involved Georgia Southern students. The
statement said:
It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of a tragedy that
took place this morning. Several Georgia Southern students died and two were
injured in an early morning crash on I-16 eastbound near Savannah.
We are unable to release the names of these students at this
time because we are awaiting notification to families.
Every one of our students contributes in no small measure,
to the Eagle Nation. The loss of any student, especially in a tragic way, is
particularly painful. Losing five students is almost incomprehensible.
Our hearts go out to the families, friends and classmates of
these students.
The University flag will fly at half-staff Thursday in their
memory. Memorial arrangements are pending.
Let me urge those particularly touched by this tragedy to
avail themselves of counseling services, and I urge all members of the
University community to support each other during this time.
Members of the University community may obtain support
services from the Counseling Center at 912-478-5541.
Authorities say seven total vehicles were involved in the
chain-reaction crash 20 miles west of Savannah.
Nease said the driver of the tractor-trailer has not been
cited as investigators continue to piece together what happened.
Source: http://www.11alive.com