STATESBORO — In a message sent out Wednesday afternoon to the Georgia Southern community, President Brooks Keel confirmed five university students were killed Wednesday morning in an accident on Interstate 16. "The loss of any student, especially in a tragic way, is particularly painful," Keel wrote in his message. "Losing five students is almost incomprehensible." The names of the students were not released pending notification of families. The accident was a seven-vehicle pileup early Wednesday on eastbound I-16 in Bryan County that apparently was caused by an earlier crash involving a tractor-trailer and an RV. The accident occurred near mile marker 140, about a mile west of the Hwy. 280 exit, Bryan County Sheriff Clyde Smith said. The crash resulted in the five deaths and two other Georgia Southern students were injured, as well, Keel wrote. "Every one of our students contributes in no small measure, to the Eagle Nation," Keel wrote. "Our hearts go out to the families, friends and classmates of these students." Smith said it's one of the worst wrecks he has seen in his 21 years as sheriff. "You almost can't believe it," he said. "You don't want to see it." The crash occurred about 5:45 a.m. when a tractor-trailer ran into traffic that was stopped while emergency crews were working on the first collision, which took place about 2 a.m., Smith said, adding that he got the call about the first wreck at 3 a.m. In all, three big rigs, two cars and two pickup trucks were involved in the second wreck, and two people were flown by helicopter to Memorial University Medical Center. Bryan County Emergency Services Director Freddy Howell said BCES crews were dispatched to the second accident about 5:55 a.m. and found "several vehicles with patients and one that was occupied and fully engulfed [in flames]. Two helicopters were dispatched and used to transport two of the patients and the others went by ambulance or [their own vehicle]." In the first crash, one patient was taken by ambulance to Memorial and others were treated by EMS at the accident site about a half-mile from the Hwy. 280 exit. BCES crews were dispatched at 1:48 a.m., Howell said. The Bryan County Sheriff's Office, Bryan County Emergency Services, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Department of Transportation continue to work both crashes, and it could be some time before the eastbound lanes are clear, Smith said. He said motorists may want to get off at Exit 137 and get on Hwy. 80 to detour around the crash sites.
STATESBORO — In a message sent out Wednesday afternoon to the Georgia Southern community, President Brooks Keel confirmed five university students were killed Wednesday morning in an accident on Interstate 16. "The loss of any student, especially in a tragic way, is particularly painful," Keel wrote in his message. "Losing five students is almost incomprehensible." The names of the students were not released pending notification of families. The accident was a seven-vehicle pileup early Wednesday on eastbound I-16 in Bryan County that apparently was caused by an earlier crash involving a tractor-trailer and an RV. The accident occurred near mile marker 140, about a mile west of the Hwy. 280 exit, Bryan County Sheriff Clyde Smith said. The crash resulted in the five deaths and two other Georgia Southern students were injured, as well, Keel wrote. "Every one of our students contributes in no small measure, to the Eagle Nation," Keel wrote. "Our hearts go out to the families, friends and classmates of these students." Smith said it's one of the worst wrecks he has seen in his 21 years as sheriff. "You almost can't believe it," he said. "You don't want to see it." The crash occurred about 5:45 a.m. when a tractor-trailer ran into traffic that was stopped while emergency crews were working on the first collision, which took place about 2 a.m., Smith said, adding that he got the call about the first wreck at 3 a.m. In all, three big rigs, two cars and two pickup trucks were involved in the second wreck, and two people were flown by helicopter to Memorial University Medical Center. Bryan County Emergency Services Director Freddy Howell said BCES crews were dispatched to the second accident about 5:55 a.m. and found "several vehicles with patients and one that was occupied and fully engulfed [in flames]. Two helicopters were dispatched and used to transport two of the patients and the others went by ambulance or [their own vehicle]." In the first crash, one patient was taken by ambulance to Memorial and others were treated by EMS at the accident site about a half-mile from the Hwy. 280 exit. BCES crews were dispatched at 1:48 a.m., Howell said. The Bryan County Sheriff's Office, Bryan County Emergency Services, Georgia State Patrol and Georgia Department of Transportation continue to work both crashes, and it could be some time before the eastbound lanes are clear, Smith said. He said motorists may want to get off at Exit 137 and get on Hwy. 80 to detour around the crash sites.