Tragedies hit Hazlehurst

Tragedies hit Jeff Davis County hard over the last week as high school baseball player Karter Galbreath was hospitalized after being struck in the head by a baseball, Jeff Davis High graduate Deangelo “Dee” Adams died in an Appling County car accident and Jeff Davis Hospital Pharmacy Technician Renee Waters was hospitalized after being accidentally struck by a bullet.
The tragedy that hit the Jeff Davis High baseball team was compounded by the fact that team manager Alex Brown lost his father, leading Coach Paul Glass to cancel the Yellow Jackets’ two games scheduled for last Friday against Bleckley County in Cochran. Team members and coaches made a trip to Savannah Memorial Hospital last week to lend support to their teammate and his family.
Contacted by phone Monday, Karter’s step-father Pierce Brewer said Karter is still struggling with his speech but his balance is good. He is able to get up to go to the restroom but he can’t eat and is being fed intravenously. Right now, Brewer said, doctors feel pretty positive that the only effect will be his speech.
“He can put a few sentences together,” Pierce said.
Brewer said Karter will be moved to Shepherd’s Center in Atlanta as soon as he is okayed to be transported.
Brewer and his wife Windy were appreciative of the support they are getting and were especially appreciative of the fact the baseball team and coaches, and the football coaching staff visited Karter in Savannah.
Brewer was well aware of the other tragedies going on in Jeff Davis County.
“With all these tragedies, the whole community is going through a lot right night and everyone needs prayers.”
According to a news release from the Appling County Sheriff’s Department, the accident that took the life of Dee Adams occurred Sunday at 1:17 a.m. At that moment, Appling County 911 received a call from On-Star that a vehicle had been involved in a crash, giving the location of the crash to dispatch. One minute later a citizen also notified dispatch of a single vehicle crash on Ten Mile Highway.
Appling County Deputies along with Baxley Police Officers responded to find several occupants outside the vehicle with others still inside. All rescue services were summoned along with Georgia State Patrol. Six occupants were in the vehicle at the time of the crash. At least four were flown out by Life Flight to other areas for treatment.
Georgia State Patrol Trooper Benjamin determined the vehicle was traveling south and was negotiating a curve when the driver lost control, crossing the centerline and entering the east shoulder. The vehicle continued traveling on the east shoulder and striking a tree, overturning, and coming to rest in a ditch on the east shoulder.
Mrs. Waters was accidentally struck by a .22 caliber bullet that has left her partially paralyzed in her right leg. She was treated at Jeff Davis Hospital and transferred to Memorial Health. Monday she was moved to Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the Southeast’s leading medical treatment hospitals for spinal cord injuries.
Tuesday afternoon, Mrs. Waters’ husband, Roy Waters, was contacted by phone and he said his wife’s condition was improving but, he added, she still has a long way to go.