TALLULAH FALLS – Two Cornelia women died from injuries in a wreck just south of Tallulah Falls Friday morning.
Brenda Elaine Simmons, 71, and Bobbie Suggs Harrison, 87, both of Cornelia, died in the two-vehicle wreck on Ga. 15/U.S. 441 at Old Highway 441. The wreck was dispatched at 8:37 a.m.
Simmons was driving a gold 2008 Honda Pilot SUV that was traveling east at the end of Old 441, according to Sr. Trooper John Crawford of Georgia State Patrol Post 7 in Toccoa.
Crawford said troopers believe Simmons stopped for the stop sign then attempted to cross the southbound lanes of Ga. 15/U.S. 441 to the median cross-over when the SUV was struck in the driver’s side by a black 2007 Cadillac Escalade that was traveling south in the left lane of Ga. 15/U.S. 441.
The Cadillac was driven by Kieston Bryar Coalley, 18, of Tiger.
Coalley told troopers the SUV pulled out and slowed in his lane in front of him.
When Coalley realized the SUV was not going to move, he steered right to attempt to avoid a collision, Crawford said.
The impact sent both vehicles off the road on the Shirley Grove side of Ga. 15/U.S. 441.
Both drivers and both passengers in Simmons’ SUV were trapped as a result of the impact and had to be extricated by emergency personnel, said Habersham County Emergency Services Director Chad Black at the scene.
Ga. 15/U.S. 441 was closed in both directions between Turnerville and Tallulah Falls to allow a pair of medical helicopters to land at the scene.
Habersham-based AirLife Georgia 2 and Blairsville-based AirLife Georgia 14 transported one patient each to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, while Rabun County Emergency Medical Services transported the other patient.
Simmons was airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where she later died, according to Crawford.
Scott Simmons, a passenger in Simmons’ SUV, suffered visible injuries and was airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center. Crawford said Scott Simmons was conscious, alert and talking at the hospital.
Coalley was ground transported by a Rabun County EMS ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with visible injuries.
Harrison, Simmons’ aunt and a passenger in her SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene, Crawford said.
All four of those involved were properly restrained and both vehicles were equipped with working airbags, Crawford said.
Elaine Simmons taught at Baldwin Elementary School for 30 years, retiring about 10 years ago, her family told GSP. The group was visiting yard sales at the time of the wreck.
Black called Friday “a very sad and difficult day”, noting one of the first Habersham County Emergency Services workers to arrive on the scene was Simmons’ son-in-law.
The southbound lanes of Ga. 15/U.S. 441 were closed for about two hours during the emergency response and subsequent scene cleanup.
The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is assisting in the ongoing investigation.
Crawford said while he does not anticipate charges, that determination will be made after SCRT concludes its investigation, adding drugs and alcohol were not involved.
