The Georgia State Patrol Tuesday afternoon released its preliminary crash report into the deadly July 16 wreck on GA 365 in Alto. The report includes the name of a previously unidentified occupant in the Corvette involved in the crash.
As Now Habersham previously reported from information provided by family and friends of the deceased, Seyhan Kilincci of Roswell was confirmed as one of the five people killed in the wreck. He was in the Corvette with another man, Mitchell Boggs, 58, of Marietta.
Killincci was the general manager of Project EG, a driving school and auto enthusiast group based in metro Atlanta.
Despite initial reports from the Georgia State Patrol identifying Boggs as the driver, authorities say they have still not determined who was behind the wheel of the Corvette when it collided with a Ford Explorer at the highway crossover on GA 365 at Mt. Zion Road.
A Dahlonega mother and her two children also died in that crash.
A joint funeral service was held on July 22 for Avonlea Holtzclaw, 29, her son Colton, 7, and daughter Maddie Kate, 5. Funeral arrangements for Boggs and Kilincci appear to have been kept private after family and friends say they were vilified following the crash.
Investigation continues
Much of the outrage leveled at Boggs and Kilincci followed public comments by Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell that the Corvette was traveling “in excess of 150 miles per hour.” Terrell made his comments during a Habersham County Commission meeting the day after the fatal collision. He told Now Habersham the speed he cited was “just an estimate based on evidence from the wreck.”
The Georgia State Patrol, which is the investigating agency, has not corroborated Terrell’s claim. The preliminary crash report does not address either vehicle’s speed.
The preliminary report states Holtzclaw was traveling west from the median crossover when she traveled in front of the oncoming Corvette in the southbound lanes of GA 365.
“Upon impact, both vehicles ignited and were totally destroyed by fire,” the report says.
The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) is in charge of the investigation. State Patrol Public Information Officer Courtney Floyd says it could be several months before a final report is released.
In response to the fatal collision, the Georgia Department of Transportation has fast-tracked its plans to install a traffic control device at the GA 365/Mt. Zion Road crossover. The agency opened the bidding process Monday, August 8, for contractors to install a restricted U-turn (RCUT) at that location. The project is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
