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Local woman killed in road rage wreck
9C9E photo 19
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.