CHEROKEE COUNTY, GA – A devastating car crash in Cherokee County, Georgia, has left two teenagers dead and three others injured. The accident occurred near Towne Lake Hills East on Towne Lake Parkway at approximately 8.17 p.m. on Tuesday.
The tragic incident involved a Mazda 6 driven by a 17-year-old from Smyrna, containing a total of five teenagers. The car veered off the road and collided with a tree. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, speed was likely a contributing factor in the fatal car crash.
One of the victims, a teenager from Marietta identified as 17-year-old Gabriel Escandon, passed away at the site of the accident. His fellow passenger, 18-year-old Esteban Cortez-Rendon from Woodstock, succumbed to injuries at a local hospital. Another 17-year-old victim reportedly incurred serious injuries in the crash.
The driver survived the accident with non-life-threatening injuries, as did an 18-year-old passenger from Oklahoma. The authorities have ensured to maintain the confidentiality of these victims, choosing not to release their identities at this time.
Robert Horn, the principal of Etowah High School, disclosed that the deceased victim was a former student who last attended in 2022. Horn urged any students who were affected by the tragedy to seek help from the school’s crisis team and school counselors. He noted that the school’s support resources are readily available.