The victims have been named as Kayla Canedo, 19, Brittany Feldman, 20, Christina Semeria, 19, and Halle Scott, 19.
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Alcohol was not suspected as a contributing factor in the crash. It wasn’t known why the Camry drifted into the other lane, authorities said.
A release by the Georgia Department of Public Safety says the driver of the students’ auto 21-year-old Agnes Kim is still hospitalized at Athens Regional Hospital.
The five students, all from the Atlanta suburbs, were in one of the cars, authorities said.
The crash occurred around 8:55 p.m. Wednesday on Highway 15 in Oconee County. Three students were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other auto, Abby Short, 27, of Demorest, Ga., was taken to a hospital but her condition wasn’t available.
Berry said in an earlier post he would release victims’ names as soon as he is “satisfied that their families are in town and all the notifications are complete”.
UGA released this statement today: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the heartbreaking and tragic loss of four students and critical injuries to another student in a awful auto accident last night outside of Athens”.
Morehead says counseling services will be available to all students and faculty at the University Health Center.
The students who died were active in campus activities such as the Greek system and religious organizations, Morehead said.
Friends, sorority sisters, fellow students and family members of the victims gathered at the hospital throughout the night.
“We ask that you keep these students and their family and friends in your thoughts and prayers”, the school said in a statement.
“I’m a parent of college students and right now my main priority is to notify these parents about their little girls”, Berry explained to the University of Georgia’s student newspaper.
The cause of the accident was under investigation.
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The driver of the other vehicle was injured, but not seriously, according to the sheriff.
