Crime & Safety
Police Identify Victims, Investigate Cause of Saturday Crash
Two Grayson teens were killed in the Saturday night three-car accident, police now report.
Police have released the names of the victims of a fatal three-car accident in Lawrenceville over the weekend.
Hope McKenzie, 17, and Austin Rogers, 19, were killed in the accident, and Mckennan Lockridge, 17, was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center in critical condition, according to a Gwinnett County Police report. McKenzie, Rogers and Lockridge were in the same car, and each is from Grayson.
A Facebook memorial page has been started for at least one of the victimes killed in the accident. Friends, family and the community are leaving notes of condolences there. Click here for the Facebook page.
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According to a preliminary police investigation, McKenzie was driving west on Webb Gin House Road in a 1997 Toyota Tercell when she crossed the center lane just west of Chadwick Park Drive and sideswiped a second vehicle headed east, then spun out of control and struck a third vehicle in the eastbound lane of Webb Gin House Road.
The accident occured in the unincorporated area of Lawrenceville within Gwinnett County.
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Grayson resident Sharianne Smith, 22, was driving the second vehicle, a 2004 Toyota Scion. Emergency responders treated her for minor injuries at the scene. She was then arrested and transported to Gwinnett County Jail on an outstanding arrest warrant for unrelated charges.
Lawrenceville resident Kanisha Finlay, a 21-year-old passenger in the second car, was treated at the scene for minor injuries and released.
In the third vehicle, a 2005 Toyota Tundra, were: Jeffery Watson, 51, of Loganville, and Kathleen Watson, 49, also of Loganville. Both were transported to Gwinnett Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Jeffrey Watson was later arrested and charged with driving under the influence. However, police do not believe that he is "contributing cause to the accident" and he is not charged with vehicular homicide.
Police from the Accident Investigation Unit continue to probe into the accident, and are in the process of determining the cause.
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