Six Traffic Deaths Reported Over New Year's Period

UPDATED 8:30 a.m., Jan. 2

Georgia State Troopers have investigated more crashes during this New Year's holiday than last year, with injuries rising above New Year's 2012 levels, and almost as many deaths – six so far this year, compared to seven last year. The GSP investigated three of the fatal traffic accidents, with local agencies investigating the other three.

Fatal traffic crashes were reported by the Georgia State Patrol posts in Athens, Madison and Valdosta, as well as Cobb County Police, Perry Police, and Macon Police.  

The Georgia State Patrol investigated 585 traffic crashes during the holiday period with 266 injuries and three fatalities reported. Early activity reports show state troopers arrested 321 people for driving under the influence.  

Last year during a 78-hour holiday period, state troopers investigated 296 crashes that resulted in 172 injuries. Troopers investigated seven of the 13 fatal crashes reported statewide. Troopers also arrested 262 people for impaired driving.    

The fatal crashes investigated by the Georgia State Patrol during the 2012-13 New Year's period were as follows:   -

• Tuesday at 1:10 a.m. in Greene County: Desmond Leroy Hall, age 30, from Siloam was killed when he was struck by a vehicle as he walked with the flow of traffic in the travel lane of Georgia Highway 77. Alcohol is suspected as a contributing factor. The driver of the vehicle that struck Hall was charged with driving under the influence.
•  Brian Allan Churchill, 29, from Jefferson was killed Monday morning around 11:50 a.m. in Jackson County when he lost control of his vehicle on Benton Road. The BMW left the roadway, struck a fence, overturned, and struck a utility pole and tree before coming to rest. Alcohol is not suspected as a contributing factor. A passenger in the vehicle was transported to Athens Regional for treatment.  
• One person was killed and three others were injured Sunday night in a one-vehicle crash on I-75 in Lowndes County. Jake Dale Daughtrey, 22, from Adel was killed after he lost control of his vehicle, ran off the roadway, overcorrected, re-entered the travel lane and began overturning. Daughtrey was thrown from the vehicle and into oncoming traffic in the southbound lanes. Alcohol is not suspected in the crash, and a seatbelt was not in use.