Update published Wednesday, May 7 at 2:15 p.m.:
A Gillsville woman has now been arrested in the crash that claimed the life of an East Hall High School teacher and coach Tuesday morning.
The Georgia State Patrol announced Wednesday afternoon that Maria Escobedo, age 57, was arrested on charges of second-degree vehicular homicide and failure to yield while turning left. As of Wednesday, she was held in the Hall County Jail without bond.
A report from the state patrol said Escobedo was driving a Chevrolet Suburban when she turned left onto Old Cornelia Highway in front of a motorcycle driven by Victor Vega, age 54 of Gainesville, who was heading east on Jesse Jewel Parkway in the Rabbittown area.
Vega was reportedly thrown from his motorcycle and run over by the Suburban. He was later pronounced dead at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
Original story published Tuesday, May 6 at 2:10 p.m.:
Students and staff at East Hall High School are mourning the loss of a teacher and assistant coach at the school, who died in a crash near Gainesville Tuesday morning.
Victor Vega, age 54, was pronounced dead at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville shortly after the crash on Old Cornelia Highway at Jesse Jewel Parkway in the Rabbittown area. A report from the Georgia State Patrol said the crash happened around 7:45 a.m. when Vega was driving his motorcycle east on Jesse Jewel Parkway.
The state patrol report said a 2007 Chevrolet Suburban, driven by Maria Escobedo, age 57 of Gillsville, then turned left in front of Vega's motorcycle, causing the two to collide. Vega was reportedly thrown from the motorcycle and run over by the Suburban.
The Hall County School District released a statement in response to Vega's death Tuesday afternoon:
"We are deeply saddened today by the loss of teacher and coach Victor Vega of East Hall High School. Our prayers go out to the Vega family, the students and faculty at East Hall High School, and the East Hall Community. We currently have a crisis team in place at East Hall High School to support students and staff members who are struggling with this tragic loss," the statement said.
East Hall High School's website says Vega was a business teacher at the school and an advisor for its Future Business Leaders of America. He was also an assistant coach for the school's baseball and softball teams.
Vega had a Master's degree from Park University in Missouri, where he also played collegiate baseball. He later served in the United States Air Force.
No formal charges have been announced in the crash as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/5/1290979/gillsville-woman-arrested-charged-in-crash-that-killed-east-hall-teacher