State GOP staffer Maret “Mack” Burgess killed in Ga. 400 wreck

The 25-year-old man killed Tuesday afteoon in a wreck on Ga. 400 worked as a field staffer for the Georgia Republican Party, Goveor Nathan Deal said.

Maret ”Mack Burgess died in the rollover wreck that temporarily blocked all northbound lanes of Ga. 400 near I-285 Tuesday afteoon, according to Sandy Springs police.

The wreck happened shortly after 1:20 p.m. and involved two cars, according to investigators. Burgess was transported to a hospital, but did not survive.

Shortly after 4 p.m., Deal’s campaign office released an emailed statement on Burgess’ death.

Mack Burgess, 25, worked closely with Deal as a field staffer for the Georgia Republican Party.

”Mack was an incredible young man, smart, hard-working, with a bright future ahead of him, Deal said. ”This is a terrible loss for everyone in our organization and for anyone who knew him. We are going to take some time to grieve and pay our respects to Mack and to the Burgess family. I ask that everyone bear with us as we take a break from the campaign to mou a life ended much too soon.

Burgess, of Roswell, graduated in 2008 from Centennial High School and in 2012 from the University of Tennessee, where he was the president of Pi Kappa Alpha frateity and active in student govement, Deal’s office said. Burgess was the son of Banks Burgess, one half of the Atlanta-based Banks & Shane music duo, and Missy Burgess.

While police and firetrucks were at the scene of the wreck, a tractor-trailer ran into the back of a firetruck, the Sandy Springs fire department said. No one was injured in the second collision, which caused minor damage to the vehicles.