HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. — A Hall County deputy is grieving the loss of his children and wife after a fiery fatal crash over the weekend, the sheriff's office said.
According to reporting from the Associated Press, troopers say Avonlea Holtzclaw of Dahlonega was trying to cross U.S. 23 in a Ford Explorer Sunday afternoon when a driver going southbound hit her. The wreck happened near Alto in Habersham County.
The impact of both vehicles sparked a fire. All occupants in both vehicles died at the crash site.
Avonlea, the 29-year-old wife of Hall County Deputy Patrick Neil Holtzclaw, was riding with their two young children, the sheriff's office said. The children were ages 6 and 3.
Mitchell Boggs, a 58-year-old Marietta man who was driving a Chevrolet Corvette southbound, also died, as did an unnamed passenger, according to reporting from the Associated Press.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp shared his condolences for the crash victims adding that he's sending his support to the Holtzclaw family.
Sheriff Gerald Couch has pledged to support his deputy through this difficult time.
“What can you say when someone loses his entire family? There are no words that can adequately express the heartbreak the Holtzclaw family is experiencing right now, but clearly, our entire agency is devastated for them,” Couch said.
As people reach out for help, Couch asks that people respect the deputy's grief and "give him time to grieve privately." Those looking to support the Holtzclaw family can keep an eye out for a memorial fund that is currently being organized, according to the sheriff's office.