A married couple from Blue Ridge died following a two-vehicle wreck on Dry Pond Road in Jefferson Friday evening.
The Georgia State Patrol said in a press release troopers were dispatched to the scene of the accident at Dry Pond Road and Jett Roberts Road at about 8:15 p.m. The accident involved a semi-truck and a Chevrolet Malibu, according to the release.
The semi-truck was driving eastbound on Dry Pond Road when the Malibu reportedly ran the stop sign on Jett Roberts Road at the intersection with Dry Pond Road. The semi-truck then struck the driver's side of the Malibu. The Malibu traveled off the westbound shoulder of Dry Pond Road and struck a tree.
The driver of the Malibu, Heather N. Gazaway, 35, of Blue Ridge, was pronounced dead at the scene. A front passenger, Richard A. Gazaway, 39, of Blue Ridge, was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville but later died from his injuries. Richard Gazaway was a Corporal with the Fannin County Sheriff's Office, according to a Facebook post from the agency.
A 3-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl who were in the back seats of the vehicle were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with minor injuries. The girls are the Gazaway's children, according to the Georgia State Patrol. The driver of the semi-truck was also taken to the hospital with minor injuries. The Georgia State Patrol says the family of the two victims has been notified.
The Facebook post from the Fannin County Sheriff's Office said Richard Gazaway began his career with the sheriff's office as a detention officer in August 2013. He later became a certified officer in December 2015 and was recently promoted to corporal on Jan. 1, 2022.
"Corporal Gazaway was an invaluable asset to our office," the post reads. "He was always willing to pick up an extra shift, whether in the jail or on patrol, back up another deputy, and was known for his dedication to his job. He was a devoted husband and father to his daughters, Skylar and Riley."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/1/1073520/two-dead-after-two-vehicle-wreck-in-jackson-county