Olivia Kate Pugh excelled in the classroom, was an athlete and loved the beach.
“She was kind, loving, giggling, and determined, hard-working, and full of life,” according to her family.
The Cobb County high school senior died Sunday, two days after she was struck by an alleged drunk driver. The Pugh family is now raising funds for a scholarship to honor the 17-year-old.
“In honor of Olivia Pugh’s life, we are creating the Olivia Pugh Memorial Scholarship,” her father wrote on a GoFundMe page. “Olivia was deeply loved by her family, friends and her classmates at Harrison High School. In honor of her, this scholarship will go to a hard-working and highly motivated student at Harrison High School.”
Olivia was president of the Beta Club, a member of the National Honor Society and Science Honor Society, and played softball, flag football, basketball and ran track, her family said. She also worked at Chick-fil-A.
Olivia was with friends last week when she was struck by an SUV near Kennesaw, according to Cobb police.
The crash happened Friday at 8:20 p.m. on Ben King Road, according to police. Jerome L. Cox of Powder Springs was driving a 2017 GMC Acadia eastbound and was approaching a crosswalk, Officer Aaron Wilson with Cobb police said in a statement.
“Simultaneously, a group of juveniles was in the process of crossing Ben King Road at the designated crosswalk when the GMC collided with one of them,” Wilson said.
The impact threw Olivia into a wooded area on the shoulder of the road. She was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in critical condition and died from her injuries Sunday, according to police.
At the scene of the crash, Cox admitted he had been drinking but refused to give a breath sample, his arrest warrant states. He was arrested and charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI, obstruction and failure to yield to a pedestrian. Cox was denied bond and remains in the Cobb jail.
Classmates at Harrison have held moments of silence to honor Olivia this week. Visitation is planned from 5-8 p.m. Thursday at West Cobb Funeral Home and Crematory, according to her online obituary. The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marietta.
“With Olivia close by, you knew a laugh was also soon to be found,” her obituary states. “She found joy in the small things and shared it with anyone she could. Olivia was a perfect mix of kindness, dedication, silliness and forgiveness. She loved the beach as much as giving a smile. Her relentless hard work was a model for all of those who have wanted to give up but knew we couldn’t.”
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