Dawson Co. teen dies while 'car surfing'

DAWSONVILLE - A Dawsonville 16-year-old was killed Monday night when she fell from the top of a car that careened down an embankment on Couch Road.

Georgia State Patrol Trooper First Class Mark Cox said the victim was "car surfing" at the time of the accident. He said the girl was either sitting or standing on the roof of the car as it traveled along the road.

"They came around a right hand curve pretty fast and the driver lost control," said Cox.

He said investigating troopers reported the car careened from the southbound lane into the northbound lane, went onto the shoulder of the road and then hit an embankment, the car coming to rest on its side.

"The passenger fell off the top of the car and she fell in the roadway and sustained pretty substantial head injuries," said Cox.

Cox said the victim, Anna Gabrielle Hawkins, 16, of Dawsonville was pronounced dead at Northside Hospital-Forsyth.

The driver of the vehicle, a 16-year-old girl from Cumming, told investigators she and the victim were best friends. The driver was not seriously hurt, according to Cox.

"Our Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) is involved...and they will turn over the investigation to the District Attorney's office [for possible charges]," said Cox.

Troopers were called to the scene at 9:42 p.m.