Adairsville High School Student Hit, Killed By Vehicle

ADAIRSVILLE, GA -- An Adairsville High School student who was preparing to attend his final band competition was hit and killed by a vehicle Saturday morning in Bartow County. Crews with Bartow County EMS and other agencies responded to the scene of the collision on Old Highway 41 near Manning Mill Road in Adairsville.

They arrived to find a 17-year-old male "with no signs of life," said EMS spokesperson Brad Cothran. Georgia State Patrol troopers responded to the crash around 7:34 a.m. Oct. 7 involving the pedestrian and a Dodge Durango.

A preliminary review of the collision released by the agency shows the Durango "struck the pedestrian from the rear with its left front bumper." The pedestrian, identified as Larry Gardner of Adairsville, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Durango was identified as 31-year-old Nixon Sellers of Adairsville (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

"At this time it is undetermined if the pedestrian was in the roadway or on the shoulder," the state agency added.

The Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is conducting a follow-up investigation, and charges are pending that review.

The Bartow County School System said Gardner said the senior was known to many as the "Soul of the Adairsville high School Marching Band." Gardner was on his way to Carrollton to attend his final band competition of the year when he was hit by the car. The system cancelled the trip upon learning of the student's passing.

"This is a devastating loss to our band, school and community," said Adairsville High School Principal Bruce Mulkey. "He had an unbelievable spirit. I'll remember that most. If he had a bad day, you would have never known it. He had a smile on his face every time I passed him. Larry's energy and enthusiasm were just as contagious as his smile."

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While at Adairsville, Gardner was an AP and honors student and a member of the school's marching band. Adairsville Band Director Dr. Kerry Bryant said meeting the teen as a seventh grade student was a "memorable experience."

"His talent, even at such a young age, was remarkable; better than most adults," Dr. Bryant continued. "In my 29 years of experience, you don't meet too many kids like that."

Guidance counselors will be on hand Monday to help Adairsville High School students cope with the sudden loss of one of their classmates. The Bartow County School System said a fund has also been established at Northside Bank to help the student's family through this heartbreaking time.

Image via Bartow County School System