Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

2 dead after wrong-way collision in Cherokee County

Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach reports.
By Ty Tagami
June 26, 2016

The fiery head-on collision in Cherokee County Saturday claimed the lives of two young adults, a man and a woman from each vehicle.

On Sunday, after notifying family members, the Georgia State Patrol released the identities of the two 21-year-old victims: Danielle L. Thomas, of Acworth, and Benjamin R. Spotts, of Woodstock.

The crash Saturday happened on Wade Green Road at Oak Lane when a truck going the wrong way collided with a car in the southbound lane, Cherokee sheriff's spokesman Jay Baker said.

The truck, a Ford Ranger driven by Spotts, overturned several times and caught fire after it hit Thomas in the Honda Civic, the state patrol said. There were no passengers in either vehicle. The state patrol is leading the investigation.

About the Author

Ty Tagami is a staff writer for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Since joining the newspaper in 2002, he has written about everything from hurricanes to homelessness. He has deep experience covering local government and education, and can often be found under the Gold Dome when lawmakers meet or in a school somewhere in the state.

Follow Ty Tagami on facebookFollow Ty Tagami on twitter
More Stories

Keep Reading

There were 425 traffic-related deaths last year in Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett counties. (Ben Hendren for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Ben Hendren

Report: Traffic fatalities outpace homicides in metro Atlanta

Analysis draws comparison between the two, pointing out that roadway deaths should be more preventable than violence, with proven safety upgrades that can prevent them.

18m ago

Funding cuts threaten legal services for at-risk Atlantans

The federal government has cut funding for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation to help victims of domestic abuse and residents facing homelessness.

18m ago

Roswell, South Fulton select new mayors in runoff election

Runoffs decided more than a dozen local contests in metro Atlanta on Tuesday.

The Latest

Social worker Mia Smith (clockwise from bottom left), social services director Kenya Gould, program manager Jennifer Leaks and social worker Melissa Olive travel throughout Atlanta providing free help to domestic abuse victims as part of their work with the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Funding cuts threaten legal services for at-risk Atlantans

18m ago

Report: Traffic fatalities outpace homicides in metro Atlanta

18m ago

Roswell, South Fulton select new mayors in runoff election

Featured

Austin Walters died from an overdose in 2021 after taking a Xanax pill laced with fentanyl, his father said. A new law named after Austin and aimed at preventing deaths from fentanyl has resulted in its first convictions in Georgia, prosecutors said. (Family photo)

Credit: Family photo

A 30-year-old’s overdose sparked a new law. Now courts are testing how far it can go.

Austin’s Law, passed in 2024, is leading to convictions of fentanyl dealers after a father’s fight for justice following his son’s overdose death.

Jared Curtis isn’t the only Georgia football storyline to watch on signing day

What will National Signing Day look like? It is starting to materialize significant storylines.

Search for inmate who escaped from Grady hospital enters second day

Timothy Shane is accused of stealing an SUV and then crashing it during the getaway, according to authorities.