Woman injured in Gainesville golf cart crash dies

By Ty Tagami and Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The woman injured during a mishap with a golf cart at a political campaign event Friday has died, officials said.

Beverly McDowell, 45, of Gainesville was airlifted from the accident to Atlanta Medical Center said Gordy Wright, a spokesman for the Georgia State Patrol.

McDowell died Monday at the hospital.

Five people were injured, including one critically, when the brakes failed on a golf cart they were riding on, the Gainesville Times reported. Witnesses told authorities the cart crashed into some vehicles and overturned.

The incident happened Friday night during a private political event in a Gainesville neighborhood for Congressman Tom Graves, R-Ga, Tim Baker, who is managing the campaign, told the AJC. McDowell was a volunteer worker for Graves' campaign.

The driver of the golf cart was Marilyn Rachel Graybeal, 19, of Gainesville. She was injured but not transported for her injuries.

Graybeal declined an interview request with the AJC,  but did say, "my heart and prayers go out to the friends and family of everyone in the accident," in an e-mail.

One of those injured estimated the golf cart was traveling at a speed of at least 35 mph prior to the crash.

McDowell was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center, Wright said.

The other passengers, identified as William Lumsden Morrison, 65, of Gainesville, Mark Vincent Marlow, 68, of Gainesville and Ericka Ursla Pertierra, 42, from Stockbridge were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, Wright said.

The event was being held for the re-election of Rep. Tom Graves, a Republican congressman from north Georgia.

About 100 people attended, and the golf cart was being used to shuttle people from a parking area to the home of a supporter who was hosting the event, Baker told the AJC Sunday evening.

Baker said that, as of Sunday afternoon, two of the injured were at home recovering, but he said McDowell, of Gainesville, was still in serious condition. He said she was a campaign volunteer.

"It's a pretty tragic accident," Baker said.

When asked who owned the golf cart, he responded: "I'm not able to talk about that right now."

No charges have been filed against the driver and the crash remains under investigation, police said.

--Staff writer Chelsea Cook and the Associated Press contributed to this report.