Two 17-year-old boys died Tuesday night in a single-vehicle crash in Cherokee County. Three teenagers were seriously injured.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Two teenagers lost their lives in a tragic crash Tuesday in Cherokee County.
According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a single-vehicle crash on Towne Lake Parkway near Towne Lake Hills East at 8:17 p. m. of January 9.
When they arrived, they found that a Mazda 6 with five occupants had veered off the road and crashed into a tree in the median.
According to the sheriff’s office, speed appears to have contributed to the crash.
A 17-year-old passenger from Marietta was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other four occupants were transported to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital.
An 18-year-old passenger from Woodstock died at the hospital and a 17-year-old passenger from Marietta was seriously injured. The 17-year-old Smyrna driver and an 18-year-old passenger from Tulsa, Oklahoma, suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
After the crash, many rumors began to circulate online about the identities of the people who died in the crash.
According to a letter sent by the principal of Etowah High School, two young men were killed in the crash. One of those killed was a former student at the school, according to Principal Robert Horn. Read the letter below:
Dear Etowah Families,
As you probably know, a tragic twist of fate happened last night in the car on our network. There are a lot of rumors circulating on the net, but we have obtained accurate data from the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office that we can share with you. Two young men were killed in a twist of fate and three were injured. None of them were reading lately in Etowah. One of the deceased youths, whose call we cannot reveal as notifications from family members are ongoing, a former student who last attended Etowah in 2022. I know some of our students knew about him, as well as our school district’s and our school’s crisis team. Advisors are there if they want to communicate about this loss. If your child suffers this loss, let us know so our counselors can touch you.
Thank you, Robert HornDirectorEtowah High School
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified the deceased on Wednesday morning as 17-year-old Gabriel Escandon from Marietta and 18-year-old Esteban Cortez-Rendon from Woodstock. It was previously reported that Cortez-Rendon was 17, but the sheriff’s office confirmed that he turned 18 on Tuesday,
The sheriff said no additional names will be released at this time.
The Cobb County School District posted the following Wednesday afternoon:
“Our hearts are hurting today after the announcement that Cobb students were involved in a tragic car accident. Our minds are with the families, friends and the entire school network of the deceased student and the students who are being transported by car to the hospital. “are available to students and staff. Families are asking the media to give them and our schools time to grieve. Lately there are no additional main points available, please continue to direct any questions you may have to the Communications Department. “
Recreational football league NASA Tophat also released a statement. It appears that the two deceased played for the club for several years.
“The entire circle of Nasatophat’s relatives is shocked by the terrible turn of automotive fate that claimed the lives of Gabriel Escandón and Esteban Cortez-Rendon. Gabriel and Esteban played for the club for years and we will miss them dearly. Our prayers go to the Escandones, to the Cortes. -Let us return those who lost children in this turn of fate. Let us also pray for the other young people who were injured in this twist of fate.
MAP OF THE AREA