Dacula High Mourns After Car Wreck Kills 2 Students

Update: Gwinnett Police said Saturday morning Jaison Brown, 15, has died from the injuries he sustained in Friday morning’s accident that killed his brother, Jared Brown, 17.

Both teens were Dacula High School students.

Return for updates

-----

Dacula High School is mourning the tragic loss of a student for the second time in less than two weeks, after one teen was killed and his bother was critically injured in a Friday morning car accident not far from school.

Gwinnett Police said Jared Brown, 17, died from injuries sustained in the two-car collision around 7 a.m. Friday on Ga. 316 westbound at the intersection of Harbins Road.

He was the driver, police said. His brother, Jaison Brown, 15, suffered life-threatening injuries. His condition was not immediately known.

• ALSO READ: Dacula High Student Dies After Attempting to ‘Harm Herself’

The driver of the other car, Richard Ford, 44, of Bethlehem, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. He and Jaison Brown are being treated at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville.

Police said in a Friday afternoon release that investigators with the Accident Investigation Unit determined Jared Brown was driving a red 1992 Honda Accord and was in the eastbound left-turn lane to turn from Ga. 316 onto Harbins Road just before the accident.

Ford, driving a red 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, was westbound on 316 in the left lane when Brown apparently turned in front of him, resulting in the collision.

News of the fatality spread quickly Friday morning after Principal Bryan Long posted a letter about the accident on the school’s website.

“It is with a heavy heart that I write to you,” Long wrote in the letter. “We have learned that two of our students were involved in a serious traffic accident this morning which resulted in the death of one student and critically injured the other.”

Police said the accident happened on Ga. 316 near Harbins Road, according to the AJC, which first reported the death.

Grief counselors were at the school Friday to support students and faculty, the principal said. Friday night’s scheduled game between Dacula and Archer was moved to Saturday (7:30 p.m. at Dacula).

It is the second death of a Dacula High student in less than two weeks. On Oct. 21, a student died after intentionally hurting herself in the gymnasium.

“Our school community is healing from another recent loss and we know that this news will be very hard for our students and our community,” Long said in the letter.

Read the entire note below.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

It is with a heavy heart that I write to you. We have learned that two of our students were involved in a serious traffic accident this morning which resulted in the death of one student and critically injured the other. As this news will spread quickly, I felt it important that our parents be aware of this loss so that you can better help your children through this difficult time.

This sad news has been shared with our teachers and staff members. We will be meeting with classmates of the students and will have our counselors and other support team members available at our school. Our school community is healing from another recent loss and we know that this news will be very hard for our students and our community. If you find that your child needs help or needs to talk to someone about this loss, please don’t hesitate to contact the school, as we have school counselors and other professionals who are well trained in helping children cope with difficult issues such as this.

As you know, we are a very tight-knit, caring school. Understandably, this has been a difficult day for all of us. As we all know, a loss like this touches not just our students but others throughout the school and community. I know your thoughts and prayers will be with the family, our students, our faculty, and our school as a whole as we cope with this loss.

Sincerely,

Bryan Long

Principal

Dacula High School