Habersham Sheriff Asks for Increased Safety Measures on Hwy 365

In the wake of two tragic accidents in Habersham County over the weekend, Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell is asking for more safety measures at cross-over intersections along Highway 365.

Speaking to the Habersham County Commission Monday evening, Terrell said something has to be done to make crossover intersections safer for motorists.

“We’ve been fighting this battle for years. A Hall County deputy lost his life because of someone who was speeding. They were running over 150 miles an hour. When is it going to end?” he asked. “I’m talking to this Commission because we’re in this together. I’ve already talked to (State) Rep. Chris Irwin, Rep. Victor Anderson, and our (State) Senator Bo Hatchett. And they’re on board and they’re going to get a meeting together with the Department of  Transportation. We’ve got to sit down with them. We’ve got to have some answers for the rest of these cross-overs. They are so dangerous. How many people have to lose their lives before improvements are made?”

Sheriff Terrell told Habersham Commissioners he’s going to meet with county officials and the Georgia State Patrol to discuss what can be done to keep tragedies like last weekend from ever happening again.

“I’m going to keep you in the loop…I’m going to get together with Jeff Adams our Emergency Services Director and Chad Johnson with the Georgia State Patrol. He was there. And we’re going to brainstorm a little bit and talk about what works and what doesn’t work and bring suggestions to the DOT and bring them solutions,” he said.

According to the Georgia State Patrol Toccoa Post and Public Information Officer for the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Rob Moore, on Sunday at about 3:30p at the intersection of GA365 and Mt. Zion Road near Alto 29-year-old Avonlea Holtzclaw of Dahlonega, was attempting to cross Ga. 365 southbound onto Mt. Zion Road in a Ford Explorer when her vehicle was struck by a Chevy Corvette driven by 58-year-old Mitchell Boggs of Marietta, who also had a passenger with him.

The Georgia State Patrol confirmed that all five occupants from both cars were pronounced dead at the scene.

Troopers say Holztclaw had two children in her vehicle, listed as ages 5 and 6.

This crash followed another collision on Saturday on Ga. 365 in Habersham County in which eight people were injured, including a 7-year old girl who was air lifted to a local hospital to Children’s Hospital in Atlanta.

Troopers say in that crash, a Saturn Vue driven by 42-year-old Gary Owens of Eastanollee turned onto GA365 from Rock Road but failed to yield at the intersection.

His vehicle was struck by a Ford Escape driven by 32-year-old Donald Jarrard of Alto who was traveling northbound on GA365.

GSP said charges are pending against Owen, and the incident remains under investigation.