BALDWIN COUNTY, Ga. — A Wilkinson County teacher is dead and a head basketball coach is injured after a crash in Baldwin County on Friday, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
Now, the community will come together on Thursday at the middle school for a memorial service at 1 p.m. for the teacher who died in the wreck, social studies teacher Tinetta Smith.
High School basketball coach Xavier Whipple was also seriously injured.
They say it happened on US 441 near SR 540. The driver of the car swerved to avoid a deer and the car rolled over multiple times before coming to a stop.
The release says both the driver and passenger were not wearing seatbelts and were thrown from the car.
They were both taken to Atrium Health Navicent. Troopers were notified on Sunday by the Baldwin County Coroner that the driver died of her injuries.
13WMAZ reached out to Wilkinson County Superintendent Aaron Geter.
He confirmed that the woman who died was Wilkinson County Middle School social studies teacher Smith. According to the school's website, she is also the middle school girls basketball coach.
Geter confirmed the man injured was P.E. teacher and High School Basketball Coach Whipple. Geter says he is currently in critical but stable condition. In March, Whipple led Wilkinson County to its 11th State Championship.
Superintendent Geter says the school is still processing the loss and asked for prayers "for our school district and our community."
According to Geter, the school district will have virtual classes on Thursday because of the memorial service for Smith. It starts at 1 p.m. at the gym behind the middle school.
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