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Local woman killed in road rage wreck
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Chelsea Gerrish

A Dawsonville woman and another driver were killed early Friday morning in what officials are calling a road rage incident.

The wreck happened early Friday morning, Oct. 11, in Gainesville.

Chelsea Antionette Gerrish, 20, of Dawsonville was heading westbound on Browns Bridge Road at approximately 12:10 a.m., when she was struck head-on by a pickup truck attempting to pass another vehicle, according to officials.

A 911 caller said the driver of the pickup truck had repeatedly hit her vehicle, a Toyota Highlander, before entering the other lane and encountering Gerrishs 2001 white Jeep Cherokee Laredo, heading in the opposite direction.

In a recording released to the media, the caller said:

We have got a red truck following us He keeps turning his lights on and off. He just hit us! He just hit us!

The 911 caller continues: He just hit somebody head-on. No! No! No!

The driver of the pickup truck, Michael Carl Williams, 48, was killed on impact, said Cpl. Joe Britte with the Gainesville Police Department.

Gerrishs two passengers were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center. The names have not been released; however, Britte noted that as of Tuesday, Oct. 15, one patient was still in the hospital and the second, who suffered a fractured leg, was released.

This is unfortunately an active road rage event on the part of Mr. Williams, said Britte. It claimed an innocent life and injured two other females.

At this time, it is unclear if seatbelts were being worn or whether drugs or alcohol were involved. The investigation is on-going.

Gerrish was the oldest daughter of Donna and Tony Gerrish.

It is so senseless. It should never have happened, said Donna Gerrish, who was sobbing. What kind of person does this? Its one thing to get angry if someone is driving slowly, but to ram them with your car and then pass illegally

My daughter was doing everything right. She was less than a mile from the new home she has with her 2-year-old son, Aiden. She was just getting her life started. She hadnt even finished unpacking.

Gerrishs older sister, Lianna Angrisani, 26, is reeling from the shock.

My heart died with her that night when I got the phone call at 4:22 a.m., said Angrisani. My life changed forever. I wish I could hug her and kiss her one last time.

Gerrishs younger sister, Olivia Gerrish, 12, also commented.

I loved my sister so much, and I miss her terribly.

Gerrishs mom said her daughter was a model and had recently been contacted for a casting call by a popular television show.

She wanted to act, and she wanted to make a life for her son.

In another unrelated accident:

Two passengers not wearing seatbelts were injured in a crash on Thursday, Oct. 10, according to Georgia State Patrol spokesperson Robin Stone.

At 11:30 a.m., Angelina Cagel, 29, of Dahlonega was driving south on Highway 183. Cagel ran the stop sign that intersects into Highway 53 and crashed into a 2012 Nissan Altima driven by Jenna Rozier, 24, of Dawsonville, Stone said.

According to Stone, Cagel told deputies she was not familiar with the area and didnt see the stop sign.

Cagel and Rozier each had a passenger in the car with them. Neither passenger was wearing a seatbelt.

Cagels passenger, Christopher Roberts, 41, and Roziers passenger, Jessica Hitt, 19, were taken by Emergency Medical Services to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries. Roberts and Hitt were also given citations for not wearing a seatbelt.

Cagel was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign and no proof of insurance.

Stone said GSP strongly encourages motorists to wear proper safety restraints.

GSP emphasizes to please, please wear seatbelts because it does save lives, Stone said. Those that are not caught wearing a seatbelt will be issued a citation. We cant stress enough to please wear seatbelts.

Reporter Melissa Mayton also contributed to this report.

Community Events
6 variances approved by board
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BOC

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners Thursday said yes to six of seven variances that will bring Dawson Marketplace one step closer to reality.

"Dawson Marketplace wants to vary from the stipulations given to them by the Board of Commissioners in 2007," Rachel Burton, director of planning and zoning for Dawson County said.

Documents indicate Dawson Marketplace approved variances include:

varying the minimum setback from the right-of-way for Georgia 400 to 90 feet from 100 feet; vary the building facade composition from 80 percent to 50 percent; varying the maximum number of off-street parking spaces to one per 50 square feet of gross floor space; varying the number of monument signs from one to five; varying signage for multi-tenant buildings from two to one and allowing for minor signs, and varying the screening of mechanical equipment from the street for only rear facades facing Lumpkin Campground Road.

The board denied the variance for wall signage with the stipulation that it could be addressed at a later date.

Separately, the board approved two agenda items pertaining to the Margie Weaver Senior Center: a request to hold a raffle and an addendum to the FY 2016 Legacy Link contract.

"Dawson County contracts with Legacy Link each year for our meal service for our seniors," Senior Centor Director Dawn Pruett said. "They are our facilitator for funding for state and federal grants. We are in a district with Hall, Lumpkin, Forsyth and a few others. This is an addendum to the contract that was originally approved months ago."

In other county business, the following requests passed by unanimous vote:

Dawson County Emergency Services Director Billy Thurmond was granted approval of the Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Grant. Each county in Georgia is required to update their hazard mitigation plan and have it approved by GEMA and FEMA. By doing so, Dawson would be eligible for federal and state funding in the event of a disaster declaration. The total amount is $24,000 ($18,000 federal, $2,400 state, $3,600 county in-kind).

"The grant allows us to be eligible for funding in the event of an emergency like we had last February with the ice," Thurmond said.

Lori VanSickle and Duane Wallace were appointed to the Dawson County Library Board by the commissioners, replacing Kay Black and Eydie Stegall, respectively. VanSickle brings twenty years of leadership and management experience to the board. Wallace has been a licensed counselor for nearly fifteen years both professionally and in a volunteer capacity.

October has been proclaimed 'Clean Water Month' and Dawson County citizens are encouraged to participate in "Imagine A Day Without Water" Oct. 6-8. Other observances include River Clean-up Oct. 14 and Shore Sweep for Lake Lanier Oct. 27, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at War Hill Park.

Separately, the issue of a new fire station was addressed on behalf of Sandra Bryan, a resident of Rainbow Lake Dr. Bryan's residence received a fire rating of 10 due to its considerable distance from a fire station. The implication for those who receive a rating of 10 is higher insurance costs.

Anybody that is beyond five road miles from any of Dawson County's eight fire stations is classified as a ten, according to Thurmond.

"When and if we build a fire station at the Etowah water tank on Elliott Family Parkway, Ms. Bryan would be within the limits," Thurmond said. "We have property, but we don't have funds."

The Board will meet next on Thursday, Sept. 24 in the Assembly Room of the Dawson Government Center, 25 Justice Way at 4 p.m.