GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A crash on Stone Mountain Highway, Thursday night, claimed the life of an off-duty Dekalb County firefighter.
Gwinnett County Police Department responded to the crash on Feb. 21 at 11 p.m.
Officers discovered two vehicles, a gray Lexus and a black Toyota Avalon, had collided in the westbound lanes of Stone Mountain Highway west of East Park Place Boulevard outside of Stone Mountain.
The drivers of both vehicles were taken to an area hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries.
The passenger in the Toyota Avalon, Ethan Wootton of Lawrenceville, was pronounced dead on the scene. He was a recent graduate of the DeKalb County Fire Rescue Academy.
Fire Chief Darnell Fullum expressed his sympathies in a statement:
"It is with great sorrow that I must inform you of the tragic and untimely passing of Firefighter Ethan Wootton who was killed in an off-duty motor vehicle collision at approximately 2350, Thursday evening in Gwinnett County. FF Wootton graduated with Class 110 during the recent ceremony held in January. He was currently assigned to Station 20/A. I ask you all to have the Wootton family in your prayers and thoughts along with FF Wootton’s class members and friends."
According to the Accident Investigation Unit's preliminary investigation, it was discovered that the Toyota Avalon was traveling east on Stone Mountain Highway. The driver changed lanes to his right and passed a row of cars. When he changed lanes back to his left he lost control and crossed over the median into the westbound lanes and collided with the gray Lexus.
At this time, investigators believe that the rainy weather and wet road conditions were responsible for the crash. No charges have been filed at this time.
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