Four Langston Hughes HS students killed in crash, fifth injured
Mike Gallagher
FULTON COUNTY, GA - Police say a traffic accident in south Fulton County on Monday left Four teenagers dead and a fifth in serious condition.
The victims have been identified as Octavious Rhodes, 16, of Fairbu, Cameron Jones, 16, of Atlanta, Isaiah Gregory, 15, of Atlanta, and 14-year-old Ke'Ariy Lopez. The fifth victim Lexus Todd, 16, survived.
A spokesperson with Fulton County police said the accident occurred at the intersection of Campbellton-Fairbu Road and Butner Road in the Fairbu area. Five teenagers were in the Lincoln Navigator when it ran a red light and hit a tractor trailer.
Four male passengers were pronounced dead at the scene. The fifth passenger survived the crash and remains at the hospital where she's expected to recover from her injuries, according to authorities.
Police say the driver of the tractor-trailer had minor injuries, and was also taken to the hospital.
According to Fulton County Schools, Rhodes, Lopez and Gregory were freshmen at Langston Hughes High School. Jones, the driver of the SUV, transferred to Langston Hughes about two months ago, but recently withdrew from the school system.
Officials revealed 9th graders Gregory, Rhodes and Lopez did not report to homeroom Monday moing as expected. Officials said Todd, the lone survivor, is the only one who reported to school Monday.
City of South Fulton Mayor-Elect Bill Edwards said he is bothered by the time of the accident because the students should have been in school and that there is a lesson to be leaed for all of us.
"All you can do is hug them, tell them that you love them and try to go through the whole scenario with them. You don't want them to make the same kinds of mistakes. If you are in school, you are supposed to be in school. You want them to understand there is a lesson to be leaed from everything, even a tragedy such as this," Edwards said.
The mayor-elect said while the fatal accident is at the top of everyone's mind, there is an opportunity here. Mr. Edwards said he is not trying to point fingers, but save lives. He challenged parents and the greater community to get more involved with our teenagers.
