Executive Summary
- Sara “Lexi” Waldroup and her unborn baby died on Dec. 24 following a crash on Dec. 21.
- The head-on collision also killed Waldroup’s husband, Soonhoon Choi, and the wrong-way driver.
- Athens-Clarke County police identified the wrong-way driver as Desiree Browning.
- The incident brings the county’s total traffic-related death toll to 10 for the year 2025.
Authorities in Athens, Georgia, confirmed on Wednesday that a pregnant woman and her unborn child have died from injuries sustained in a wrong-way collision that had already claimed the lives of her husband and the driver of the opposing vehicle.
According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the crash occurred on December 21 on the Inner Loop at Oglethorpe Avenue. Investigators determined that a Kia Soul, driven by Desiree Browning, was traveling in the wrong direction when it struck two vehicles before colliding head-on with a Toyota Camry.
The driver of the Toyota, identified as 25-year-old Soonhoon Choi, was pronounced dead at the scene. His wife, 25-year-old Sara “Lexi” Waldroup, who was a passenger in the vehicle and 15 weeks pregnant, was transported to a local hospital in critical condition. Police announced on December 24 that Waldroup and the couple’s unborn baby had succumbed to their injuries.
Browning, the driver of the wrong-way vehicle, was also pronounced dead at the scene. Occupants of the other vehicles involved in the initial impacts sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Police noted that this incident marks the eighth fatal crash in Athens-Clarke County in 2025, bringing the total number of traffic-related fatalities this year to 10.
Investigative Outlook
The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is continuing its investigation into the specific factors that led the Kia Soul to travel against traffic flow. While the mechanics of the collision have been established, investigators are likely to review toxicology reports and vehicle data to determine if impairment or mechanical failure contributed to the error. Authorities have requested that anyone with information regarding the incident contact the department’s traffic unit to assist in the ongoing inquiry.
