Funeral Wednesday for Mother, Daughter Killed in Hart County Wreck

Funeral services are set for Wednesday in Hartwell for a young Bowersville mother and her two-year old daughter who died Sunday in a tragic accident.

It happened Sunday evening about 5p on SR51 just west of Hartwell , according to Hartwell GSP Post commander Sgt Al Whitworth.

“Vehicle 1, a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix was traveling west on Georgia 51. For reasons that remain under investigation at this time, Vehicle 1 traveled across the center line and struck Vehicle 2, a 2009 Toyota Tacoma head on,” Whitworth said.

The driver is identified as 19-year old Shansie Vickery. Vickery died at the scene along with her two-year old daughter Skyla who Whitworth said was properly restrained in her booster seat in the back seat.

According to Whitworth, Vickery was seven months pregnant at the time of her death.  Her unborn baby also died.

Whitworth said a passenger in Vickery’s vehicle was injured.

“The passenger in the vehicle, Cameron Benton of Hartwell, was transported to Anderson with serious injuries,” Whitworth said. “The driver of the Toyota were from Iva, SC.  The driver,  Keith Burris and his passenger, Tonya, were also transported to Anderson with serious injuries.”

According to Whitworth, neither alcohol nor drugs were a factor in the wreck.   However, Whitworth said his officers are investigating  whetherwhat he described as an electronic device Vickery was using at the time of the accident played a role.

Funeral services for Vickery and her daughter are set for Wednesday at 2p from the Chapel of Strickland Funeral Home in Hartwell.   Visitation is this evening at the funeral home from 6p to 9p.

Meantime, Whitworth said overall, the New Year’s  holiday weekend was a busy one for the troopers in his new Post.

“From December 31st at 6p through midnight Sunday Post 52 troopers were very visible,” he said. “We focused on the Interstate and impaired drivers. In Elbert, Hart and Franklin Counties we issued 270 citations, over 300 warnings. We made four drug arrests and arrested 21 impaired drivers in those counties.”

The new GSP Hartwell Post opened officially January 1st with 14 full-time troopers and one civilian employee.