2008 Woodie Awards
Ad seeks answers in fatal crash
Univ. student killed June 12
ERIKA WELLS
Issue date: 7/3/08 Section: News
|
The ad read, "WITNESSES OF FATAL ACCIDENT ON LOOP 10: Attorney representing Ward family seeking anyone who witnessed the accident on Loop 10 on Thursday, June 12 that killed UGA student Sara Ward. 770-932-8477."
The Ward family is gathering details to understand what happened and help the police investigation.
"We ran the ad for a week in The Red & Black and the Athens Banner-Herald to gain information while the incident was fresh in the memory of anyone [who] saw it," said Chris Gant of The McGarity Group representing the Ward family.
"This is an investigation typical of any fatal accident by the Georgia State Patrol. They've been cooperative in working with us," he said.
Amy Ward, sister of Sara Beth, said the family is waiting for results of the lengthy crime scene investigation and re-creation.
It could be six months before the family receives a final report, Ward said.
The family does not plan to run the ad again because they want to focus more on Sara's life.
"The family's main priority is for everyone to remember Sara for who she was. It's not about the accident and finding out what happened to her," Ward said.
"She was 22 and way too young to die."
Sara's friends and family are planning a trail maintenance day in Ward's favorite place and memorial site, Watson Mill Bridge State Park in Athens, in September.
They also are planning memorial runs next year to benefit foster care facilities for the Humane Society's animals.
The Ward family hopes by spreading awareness of Sara's death that improvements can be made on the Loop to prevent this from happening to someone else, Ward said.
"[The family] misses her every day. Everything that we've done is to remember how happy she was and how much she loved life."
Donations can be made in Ward's memory in lieu of flowers to Georgia Humane Society, P.O. Box 1627, Sharpsburg, GA 30277.
Be the first to comment on this story