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I-285 plane crash: Ole Miss 'saddened' over loss of family

By Rodney Thrash
May 8, 2015

The four victims of Friday's deadly plane crash on I-285 at Peachtree Industrial Boulevard were headed to Oxford, Miss., for a graduation ceremony Saturday at Ole Miss, the owner of a plane that took off from the airport just before the ill-fated flight told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Robert Byrd, the son of crash victim Greg Byrd, is scheduled to graduate from the school this weekend, according to multiple reports.

Greg Byrd, sons Christopher and Phillip, and Jackie Kulzer were killed in the crash shortly after takeoff from DeKalb-Peachtree Airport at 10:10 a.m. Kulzer and Christopher Byrd were engaged.

In an emailed statement, Ole Miss vice chancellor for student affairs Brandi Hephner said: "The university is always saddened when we lose members of the Ole Miss family, and we are all heartbroken at the news of this tragedy. The circumstances of the accident, coming on the eve of Commencement, make it even more heartrending. We offer our prayers for Robert Byrd, his extended family and their friends and will do everything we can to offer support and comfort during this time."

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» Plane crashes on I-285 at Peachtree Industrial Boulevard

About the Author

Rodney Thrash is the morning breaking news coach for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has been with the paper since November 2013.

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