The couple had dated for two years in high school. She was a year older and graduated in May, but the two had no plans to break up.
On Wednesday night, they were killed in a two-vehicle crash, just down the road from Paulding County High School where both attended.
Janeal Priester, the 18-year-old driver, and her 17-year-old passenger, Nicholas Wright, were killed in the crash, which also injured two others, the Georgia State Patrol said Thursday.
Another teenage passenger and the driver of a second car were hospitalized following the crash, which happened around 9:30 p.m., a GSP spokeswoman said.
Investigators believe Priester, of Dallas, was driving a 2003 Oldsmobile Alero and failed to yield while turning left onto Ga. 61 from Old Villa Rica Road. The Oldsmobile was struck on the driver’s side by a 2007 Toyota Camry that was traveling southbound on Ga. 61, Tracey Watson with the GSP said.
Priester and the front seat passenger, Wright, of Dallas, both died at the scene of the crash. The back seat passenger, Joshua Priester, 16, also of Dallas, was injured and flown to Grady Memorial Hospital, according to police.
The driver of the Camry, Sarah Dowdy, 22, of Hiram, was injured and taken by ambulance to WellStar Kennestone Hospital.
No charges are expected to be filed in the crash, the State Patrol said.
Kira Priester was at the scene of the wreck on Thursday, telling Channel 2 Action News it was her daughter who was killed and her son had been in the back seat. Her son underwent surgery Thursday, she said.
“My baby is gone,” Priester said.
William Wright, Nicholas’ father, said his son played football and was looking forward to his senior year, Channel 2 reported.
“It was just God’s time to pick those two flowers,” he said. “You just hope it was an instant thing and they didn’t suffer any.”
