Cops: Teen killed after suspected DUI driver crashes into tree in Cherokee
A 19-year-old passenger died after a driver, who is suspected of being impaired, crashed in Cherokee County, authorities said.
About 11:30 p.m. Saturday, deputies responded to a crash on I-75 North near the Priest Road overpass, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. Investigators believe a 19-year-old man from Acworth lost control of his pickup truck, struck a guardrail and then hit a tree.
A passenger in his vehicle, Savanna Joyce Martin of Cartersville, was ejected and died at the scene, the release said. The sheriff’s office did not say whether she was wearing a seat belt.
A second passenger in the truck was not injured, the sheriff’s office said. The driver suffered minor injuries and was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
“Preliminary indications are that the driver of the truck was impaired,” the release said. “The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Unit is investigating the accident. No charges have been filed at this time.”
AJC.com is withholding the driver’s name since no charges have been filed.
In other news:
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
