Two children, ages 10 and 13, were killed in a traffic accident the evening of June 14 at the intersection of Highway 83 and Sandy Creek Road.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, a Honda Odyssey traveling west on Sandy Creek Road failed to yield the right of way at the intersection with Georgia Highway 83. A Dodge Ram pickup traveling south on Highway 83 struck the passenger side of the van.
“Following the collision, the Honda left the roadway and struck an AT&T power box and a utility pole,” the GSP reported. “Two juveniles in the Honda, ages 10 and 13, suffered fatal injuries as a result of the crash. The mother of the victims, Victoria Derbecker, was identified as the driver of the Honda. In total, there were nine occupants between the two vehicles, resulting in four additional injuries. The Troop E Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) assisted with the investigation. Georgia Highway 83 was closed, and traffic was rerouted for a few hours following the crash.”
The GSP has not released the children's names, but the Morgan County Sheriff's Office said the family was from Carrollton.
Almost five years to the day earlier, two Lake Country men died in a crash at the same intersection on June 12, 2021.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, one of the men was driving a truck east on Sandy Creek Road when he ran the same stop sign and collided with a van traveling north on Highway 83. The force of the collision sent both vehicles rolling toward the gas pumps at the Valero Station and Country Store, 3531 Sandy Creek Road.
One of the trucks struck a gas pump, causing a fire and explosion.
Patrons pumping gas scattered as the damaged vehicles slid toward the station.
Some patrons attempted to extinguish the fire, but firefighters arrived shortly afterward and put it out before any further damage occurred to the station.
Two dogs riding in the truck were also killed.