Three teenagers are dead and two others are injured after a tragic car accident in Dalton, Georgia, on Friday night.
The Georgia State Patrol said troopers were called out to investigate a deadly wreck on Georgia Highway 3 at Haig Mill Lake Road at around 9 p.m.
According to an initial investigation, a white 2013 Ford Fusion was traveling south on Highway 3 when it crossed over the median into northbound traffic. The Ford Fusion collided head-on with a 2004 Dodge Ram before spinning sideways and moving into the outside lane, where it struck a 2011 Ford Taurus. Each of the vehicles came to an uncontrolled rest in the roadway after impact, police said.
The driver of the Ford Fusion, 19-year-old Kathryn Beasley, was airlifted to Erlanger Hospital in critical condition. She died the following day as a result of her injuries, authorities said. Kierra Clay, 18, and Bethany Rose Pizarro, 17, both passengers in the vehicle, were also killed in the wreck. Both had birthdays later this month.
Investigators said the drivers of the other two vehicles involved in the crash sustained injuries that were not life-threatening and are expected to recover.
Beasley was a mother of two children, a 3-year-old son named Gabriel and a 1-year-old son named Noe. A GoFundMe account set up to help raise money for the family had raised more than $1,000 toward a $5,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon. A GoFundMe set up by the Pizarro family to help cover funeral expenses has raised nearly $3,000 toward a $5,000 goal.
"As all of you know it was unexpected and took us by surprise," Damian Pizarro, Pizarro's older brother, said in a post to the GoFundMe page. "We ask that you keep our family and the other families in your prayers while we all grieve during this time."
The Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is assisting with the ongoing investigation into the crash.
Contact Kelcey Caulder at kcaulder@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6327. Follow her on Twitter @kelceycaulder.