(Update) High School Sweethearts Die in Paulding Crash

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Updated

Two Paulding County teenagers, including a high school football player, were killed in a two-car crash Wednesday night near Paulding High School, the Georgia State Patrol said.

GSP Public Information Officer Tracey Watson said via email that Janeal Priester, 18, of Dallas and the front-seat passenger, Nicholas Wright, 17, also of Dallas, died in the wreck around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday on Ga. Highway 61. The backseat passenger, Joshua Priester, 16, of Dallas, was injured and airlifted to Grady Memorial Hospital.

WSB-TV reported Wright and Janeal Priester were high school sweethearts who had been dating for two years. Priester had recently graduated from Paulding County High. The crash scene was near the high school.

“My baby is gone,” Priester’s mother Kira Priester told the TV station.

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Watson said Janeal Priester was turning left onto Highway 61 from Old Villa Rica Road when she pulled her 2003 Oldsmobile Alero in front of a southbound 2007 Toyota Camry driven by Sarah Dowdy, 22, of Hiram. The Camry struck the Oldsmobile on the driver’s side, Watson said.

Wright was a rising senior football player at Paulding High School, the South Paulding football program posted on Facebook:

South Paulding Football sends out deepest condolences to the family and friends of upcoming PCHS Senior Football Player, Nick Wright. #44, who passed away last night, in a car accident.

Please keep his family, friends, and fellow Patriot teammates/coaches in your thoughts and prayers.

Dowdy also was injured and was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital. There was no word on the conditions of those injured.

No charges have been filed in the accident, Watson said.