21 killed on Georgia roads, waterways over Labor Day weekend

Crashes on Georgia roads killed 20 people over the Labor Day weekend, and a 20th person drowned in Lake Lanier, according to state officials.

Among those killed were a high school senior from middle Georgia, according to investigators. A separate crash in Evans County, in southeastern Georgia, killed three people and injured two others. The majority of the crashes were outside of metro Atlanta. But a crash early Sunday killed a 33-year-old woman on I-285 in Dunwoody, police said.

One drowning was reported over the three-day weekend, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. A 46-year-old Vinings man drowned Saturday afternoon on Lake Lanier after he went underwater while swimming to his boat, officials said.

Investigators believe Hasani Kamau Widemond was trying to swim from the shore to his boat. He was found in about 25 feet of water, the DNR said.

The number of deaths reported over the Labor Day weekend was down from 2023, when 21 died in crashes and three others drowned. But the deaths devastated communities, including in Pike County where 17-year-old Peyton Rivera was killed late Saturday.

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“Peyton had a smile that would light up the room,” Kevin Huffstetler, Pike County High School principal, said in a Facebook post. “He was a leader on and off the field, and he made our school better just with his presence. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, students, staff, and community during this incredibly difficult time.”

A candlelight vigil to honor Peyton is planned for Wednesday night at Christ Chapel in Zebulon, according to the high school.

Troopers from around Georgia investigated deadly crashes, including those from posts in Reidsville, Valdosta, LaFayette, Hartwell, Thomasville, Tifton, and Brunswick, according to the state Department of Public Safety. Police agencies investigating fatal crashes include the sheriff’s offices in Putnam, Richmond, Pike, Bibb and Rockdale counties, plus Morrow and Dunwoody police departments.

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