Habersham Central High School student Carlos Morales of Baldwin was fatally injured in a head-on collision on Camp Creek Road in Cornelia. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
The Georgia State Patrol has charged a Mt. Airy woman with DUI and first-degree vehicular homicide, among other charges, in connection with a fatal crash Wednesday morning on Camp Creek Road in Cornelia.
The accident happened around 7:45 a.m. on November 20 during the school morning rush hour. A 17-year-old Habersham Central High School student was fatally injured in the crash and two of his relatives, also students at HCHS, were injured.
The State Patrol says 37-year-old Cherri Pulido was traveling south on Camp Creek Road in a black 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee when she crossed the centerline into the northbound lane. The Cherokee struck a white 2001 Ford F-150 pickup truck head-on. After impact, the Cherokee traveled off the west side of the roadway and came to rest. The pickup, driven by Carlos Christo Morales of Baldwin, came to a rest on Wilson Road.
Both Pulido and Morales had to be extricated from their vehicles due to the damage, according to Sergeant First Class Chad Johnson of State Patrol Post 7 in Toccoa.
Morales received extensive medical treatment at the scene and was airlifted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) in Gainesville where he later died.
Pulido suffered serious injuries. Habersham EMS transported her and the two passengers in Morales’ truck by ambulance to NGMC for treatment.
Funeral Mass scheduled next week for HCHS student killed in wreck
The passengers are identified as Carlos Morales’ brother, 15-year-old Obertino Morales and a cousin, 15-year-old Jose Jimenez Castro, both of Baldwin. The GSP says neither suffered serious or life-threatening injuries.
The accident shut down Camp Creek Road in the area of Wilson Road for several hours on Wednesday.
Helping students cope
Grief counselors were brought into Habersham Central High School Wednesday to help students and staff cope with the tragedy.
High school counselors visited the classrooms of the three students to tell them about the accident. They offered students support passes they could use to leave class at any time during the day to meet with counselors.
Counselors from other schools in the school district were relocated to Habersham Central High School to provide additional support for students, staff, and faculty.
In a joint press release issued after the accident, the Habersham County School System and the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office offered their “deepest sympathies and prayers to all involved.”
The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) is assisting with the accident investigation.
In addition to the DUI and vehicular homicide charges, Pulido is charged with failure to maintain lane, failure to exercise due care, and violating tire requirements (slick tires).
A Funeral Mass for Morales is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. Monday, November 25, at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Cleveland, Georgia. Afterward, Morales will be buried at Level Grove Cemetery in Cornelia.
