Coroner identifies those killed in I-85 crash in Franklin County
FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ga. (FOX 5 Atlanta) - The six adults and one young child killed in a five-vehicle crash along Interstate 85 in Franklin County have been identified.
The Franklin County Coroner’s Office has released the names and ages of the victims. The coroner said Chris Years, 33, Ashley Years, 34, and Luna Years, 3, all of Paulding County, were killed while riding in the Ford Excursion which troopers for the Georgia State Patrol said crossed the median on I-85 around 1:40 p.m. Saturday and ended up crashing into a van driving in the opposing lanes.
"They were traveling on a camping trip for vacation. The father was a reserve member for the Navy. To my understanding, was retired from the military and joined the Naval Reserves. Again, a hard-working family," said Scott O' Barr, Franklin County Coroner. "To have their last moments of their life take like that is certainly a tragedy."
Barr said the couple had three other children in the car, 6-year-old twins and another 3-year-old child. All were rushed to Greenville Memorial Pediatric Trauma Center in Greenville, South Carolina. The coroner said all are expected to make a full recovery.
Troopers said the Excursion crashed into a Chevrolet van. The coroner said Alejandro Agis Perez, 53, Noe Gutierrez Cerna, 39, Oswaldo F. Hi Navarrete, 25, and Eugenio Santoyo Serna, 36, all of Hall County, were killed in the crash. The coroner said all were part of a construction crew heading home from a site and had family members following behind them in another car, who witnessed the whole thing.
The coroner said the massive crash prompted mutual aid from several agencies from multiple jurisdictions and multiple states. Coroners from Hart and Madison counties assisted in identifying the victims and notifying next of kin.
A Ford E350 and the two other vehicles were also involved in the crash, troopers said, but they only suffered minor injuries.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
As of noon on Sunday, 23 people died on Georgia’s roadway during the long Fourth of July holiday period which started at 6 p.m. on July 3 and runs through the end of July 7.