Executive Summary
- Athens-Clarke County experienced three fatal crashes in under a week, resulting in six deaths.
- The latest crash on Dec. 26 claimed the life of 53-year-old Dejon Ellis on North Avenue.
- A Dec. 21 wrong-way collision on Athens Perimeter resulted in four deaths, including an unborn child.
- Police have issued warnings urging drivers to reduce speed and wear seat belts.
Athens-Clarke County police are investigating a string of traffic fatalities after three separate crashes resulted in six deaths within a single week, culminating in a deadly wreck on North Avenue. The cluster of incidents has prompted law enforcement officials to issue urgent public safety warnings regarding speed and driver focus.
According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the most recent incident occurred at approximately 10 a.m. on Friday, December 26. Dejon Ellis, 53, of Athens, was operating a 2020 Honda Civic northbound on North Avenue near the intersection with Strickland Avenue. Police reports indicate that Ellis failed to negotiate a curve, causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, mount the sidewalk, and travel up an embankment before striking a power pole. Ellis was pronounced dead at the scene.
"Over the past week, there have been three fatal crashes resulting in six deaths," the department stated in a press release. Authorities noted that the North Avenue incident marked the city’s 10th fatal crash of the year, contributing to a total of 14 traffic-related deaths in 2025. The Traffic Enforcement Unit has issued a public advisory urging motorists to maintain safe speeds, avoid distractions, and wear seat belts.
Prior to the Friday incident, a single-vehicle wreck occurred around 6 a.m. on December 25 outside Synovus Bank near the intersection of Barnett Shoals and Gaines School roads. Police confirmed that the driver, identified as a 36-year-old Athens man, died at the scene.
On December 21, a severe collision on the Athens Perimeter near Oglethorpe Avenue claimed multiple lives. Investigators stated that a Kia Seltos, driven by 26-year-old Desiree Jaclyn Browning of Lawrenceville, was traveling in the wrong lane at a high rate of speed. Browning and passenger Soonhoon Choi, 25, died at the scene. Another passenger, Sara Alexis Waldroup, 25, and her unborn child later died from their injuries at a hospital. A fourth occupant, Katilyn Mills, 24, was hospitalized in serious condition.
Traffic Safety Assessment
The clustering of these fatal incidents highlights a critical period for local traffic safety enforcement. With six fatalities occurring in such a short timeframe, including a wrong-way collision and single-vehicle accidents involving loss of control, investigators are likely to focus on contributing factors such as speed and roadway conditions. The police department’s issuance of a specific safety plea suggests an immediate strategic pivot toward high-visibility enforcement and public awareness campaigns to mitigate the surge in vehicular deaths. The investigation into the latest crash remains active.
