Students Killed In Fiery, Wrong-Way Crash Identified As Brothers

LAURENS COUNTY, GA -- State troopers are investigating a fatal head-on collision that killed two brothers who attended Georgia Southern University early Sunday along Interstate 16 in Laurens County. Troopers responded to the crash around 1:15 a.m. Nov. 26 on the eastbound side near mile post 34.

An initial investigation indicates a Toyota Avalon driven by Jared Adler, 27, of Sandy Springs, was traveling westbound in the left eastbound lane when it crashed head-on into Saturn L200, which was traveling eastbound on the interstate.

The Saturn caught fire and its occupants died in the collision, the agency added. Adler was transported to Navicent Heath Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

The driver and passenger of the Saturn have been identified as Jack Deacon Harris, 20, of Kennesaw and Garrett Harris, 18, of Dallas. Georgia Southern University spokesperson Jennifer Wise said victims were brothers. She added the university's community is "saddened" to learn of the accidents that killed its two students.

"Our deepest sympathies go out to their family and friends and our thoughts are with them during this time," Wise said in a statement provided to Patch. "Counseling is available for our students as we all grieve this tragedy."

The Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is conducting an investigation into the crash, and the agency said charges are pending in the collision.

It's the second deadly crash involving Georgia Southern students reported in as many years along Interstate 16, which runs east from Macon to Savannah. In April 2015, five nursing students from the university died when a tractor trailer crashed into a line of vehicles that were either slowing down or stopping on the eastbound side of I-16 near mile marker 141 in Bryan County. The students were traveling from Statesboro to St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah when the fatal collision occurred.

Image via Shutterstock