- An 18-year-old Eagle Scout and a 67-year-old man are dead after a head-on collision on a rural road in Georgia on Aug. 4
- The recent high school graduate was pronounced dead at the scene, while the older man died after he was transported to a hospital
- “This is a heartbreaking and tragic accident,” said Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds
An Eagle Scout and a 67-year-old man are dead after a head-on collision on a rural road in Georgia.
On the morning of Monday, Aug. 4, just after 8 a.m. local time, Luke Burgess, 18, was driving his Ford Mustang on Fate Conn Road in Cherokee County when a BMW SUV driven by Frank Coe, 67, crossed the center lane and the two vehicles collided head-on, ABC affiliate WSB, FOX affiliate WAGA and the Cherokee Tribune reported.
When deputies arrived, Burgess was pronounced dead at the scene. The older man was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died, according to the outlets.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
“This is a heartbreaking and tragic accident,” Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds told WAGA. “Our hearts go out to the families and friends of those involved.”
Burgess recently graduated from Cherokee High School and was working with a grading company, WSB reported. Two months ago, he also became an Eagle Scout.
“Like many boys his age, Luke was full of energy, a little rambunctious, and yes — a bit of a procrastinator,” Joe Thomas, the Committee Chair of Troop 125, told the outlet. “Luke had a warm, hardworking spirit and an infectious smile.”
“His passing is a devastating loss, and yet, the impact he made in his short life is undeniable,” Thomas continued. “He touched the lives of so many.”
An organizer of a GoFundMe page created to help Burgess’ mom with funeral expenses shared similar memories about the recent high school graduate.
“Luke was loved deeply by many” the organizer wrote, adding that he “left a lasting impact on those who knew him.”
The Cherokee County Coroner’s Office declined to comment when reached by PEOPLE, while the sheriff’s office did not immediately respond.