By Joe Johnson
Three young men reportedly were killed Tuesday night in a two-vehicle collision in Madison County.
The victims were all employees of SMI Composites in Comer, according to a company official.
“It is with great sadness that the SMI family has lost three young souls tonight. I would ask everybody to include them and their families in your prayers,” Rob Cushard, SMI general manager of operations said in a post on his Facebook page. “Second shift in third shift are called off for tonight again please keep everyone in your prayers.”
Another employee posted on her page: “Please pray for our SMI family! We lost 3 young men yesterday evening to a tragic car accident right off of our work rd! Please please pray for their families! These boys had just graduated high school last year & this year😭😭😭😭”
Madison County Coroner Julie “Coach” Harrison said she could not comment or release victim identities because the fatal wreck was being criminally investigated by the Georgia State Patrol,
Harrison did say that the victims were all county residents, and also that the local Chamber of Commerce had incorrectly on its Facebook page identified the victims as being brothers.
The incident happened on Georgia Highway 172, just east of Ga, 98, according to Capt. Jimmy Patton of the Madison County Sheriff’s Office..
‘It was a two-vehicle accident with all three victims in one of the vehicles,” he said. “The vehicle in which the victims were in pulled out onto Hwy 172 into the path of an oncoming pickup truck. The truck struck the vehicle, causing it to spin several times and go off the roadway.”
Patton had no further information, saying that the incident was being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol, which did not respond immediately to requests for comment.