An owner of a popular food truck was killed while racing on his motorcycle over Memorial Day weekend in Fairburn.
Clovis "Troy" Anglin owned One Love Jerk Grill, a popular Atlanta food truck spot, which customers described on Yelp as having the best jerk chicken they'd ever had.
Anglin and his Jamaican-flavored food truck was a welcome fixture in and around metro-Atlanta. On the Atlanta Food Truck Park & Market Facebook page hundreds of people commented on his death.
"Troy has been a presence at the Atlanta Food Truck Park since the beginning. His food spoke to his culinary skill and his Jamaican roots….no doubt the best in the city," read a Facebook post announcing his death."His character, humble spirit and dedication to his wife and kids spoke to the awesome man he was. He was a friend, a confidant and someone who we will miss terribly."
Originally from Jamaica, Anglin moved to the US about 17 years ago and worked in Seattle as a chef. He and wife Mia moved to Atlanta about six years ago and opened One Love Jerk Grill in 2011.
The food truck was the only source of income for The Anglins and their sons, Javon and Ryan, but Clovis Anglin was the only person who knew the recipes, according to a YouCaring page set up for the family.
And like many small business owners, the page said, he didn’t secure proper estate planning.
Anglin was racing with two other motorcyclists and a car Sunday about 2:30 a.m along Highway 92, Fairburn police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Bazydlo said.
Bazydlo said the three motorcyclists and a car passed an officer who clocked their speed at 75 mph on a 35 mph road.
The officer flashed his blue lights for them to slow down, according to an accident report. Three minutes later, the officer got a call about an accident just up the road.
Anglin left the roadway on the southern shoulder and struck a ditch, Georgia State Patrol spokeswoman Tracey Watson said. The motorcycle re-entered the roadway on Highway 138, where Anglin ejected.
Anglin was found lying 15 feet away from his motorcycle with heavy bleeding from his head, according to an accident report. He was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with injuries, but later died.
The driver and a motorcyclist told police Anglin had alcohol with some friends at a party the morning of the accident, Bazydlo said. One of the motorcyclists left the scene before the officer could speak to him.
Charges in the accident have not been filed and Georgia State Patrol is still investigating.
Anglin’s death leaves his wife Mia in an unfortunate predicament: stay in Atlanta and decide what to do about the business or return with the two boys to Seattle, where she and her husband met.
“I’m not sure what she’s going to do,” Will Turner, Anglin’s brother-in-law, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Mia left her job as a hair dresser two years ago, Turner said, “Now she basically has to start all over.”
She helped Anglin handle the day-to-day bookkeeping, but doesn’t know any of the recipes.
Turner said Anglin never wrote down any of his recipes. With the food truck being the primary source of income, Turner put together the YouCaring page to offset costs.
Reports of Clovis Anglin’s death on Facebook sparked support from those in the food truck industry.
"Angelfire7 BBQ will be helping where ever we can. My heart breaks to know they are going through so much suffering," Angelfire7 BBQ, a food truck company, said in a Facebook post. "We are not guaranteed a single minute on this Earth. Laugh often, love continuously and live abundantly."
One donor on the YouCaring page said his last memory of Anglin was of his birthday dinner.
“Troy and Mia treated me and my group like family and our Thursdays will never be the same,” Gabriel Crespo wrote on the page. “Mia, be strong for those boys and hold onto every laugh and smile that you shared with Troy. Thank you for the memories and amazing food.”
Tips from food trucks apart of the Street Food Coalition will go toward the online fund for 30 days, Turner said. A memorial is planned for June 11 at Impact Church.
The family hopes to raise $15,000 for a burial in Jamaica, relocation and other familial support. More than $2,750 was raised by 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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