By Joe Johnson
A Gwinnett County man died Monday as the result of injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle collision in Athens over the weekend.
The death of 55-year-old Lawrenceville resident James Hughes marked the seventh traffic fatality in Athens-Clarke County in just the first seven weeks of 2021.
According to a police accident report, the crash occurred Feb. 13 on Atlanta Highway at Classic Road where a Jeep Cherokee operated by Hughes collided head-on with a Honda CR-V driven by Angela Shaw, 54, of Athens.
The report states that the Jeep began to drift into oncoming traffic as it passed Conway Drive and that it collided with the Athens woman’s car at Classic Road.
Both drivers were transported by EMS to a local hospital with serious injuries, and Hughes died two days later.
A friend of Hughes who arrived at the scene of the crash told police that Hughes did not consume alcohol or drugs, according to the report.
The crash investigation was ongoing, police said Tuesday.
Police asked for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information about it to contact Lt. Jonathan McIlvaine at jonathan.mcilvaine@accgov.com or (762) 400-7089.