Victims killed in fiery crash in Newton County identified, teen driver remains hospitalized
Greg Barlow, who lives feet from the scene, said he heard the crash and rushed outside to help. (Credit: Greg Barlow)
NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - Forensic investigators have identified all five people killed in a fiery crash in Newton County earlier this month.
The wreck happened on April 8 along State Route 142 in Covington, just past Adams Circle. Newton County Sheriff's investigators say a van crashed into a pickup truck driven by a teenager and burst into flames.
A nearby resident who rushed to help the victims shared photos of the crash with FOX 5. They show the van fully engulfed in fire and the truck’s front end obliterated.
Greg Barlow says he tried to put the blaze out with a kitchen fire extinguisher, but the fire was too far involved.
"There wasn’t an inch of that van that wasn’t on fire," Barlow said. "The thud I heard was like there was no brakes. It wasn’t a screech, it was a direct hit."
A preliminary investigation found the truck left its lane, causing the collision.
Thursday, officials say they identified the final two victims and notified their next of kin.
The victims have been identified as 26-year-old Makayla Taylor, 55-year-old Alicia Eisenmann, 58-year-old Darin Quattlebaum, 55-year-old Kelly Pike, and 58-year-old Peggy Wynn.
The 16-year-old driver of the pickup truck was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital. He remains in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.
Deputies declined to say if the teenager could face criminal charges as the investigation progresses.