Car-Motorcycle Wreck Claims Life

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David Junior Hochstetler, age 75, was killed in a car accident that occurred one-tenth of a mile south of Connell Lane in Montgomery County on February 23.

Hochstetler was turning left onto Georgia State Route 56/Georgia Highway 221, to travel north from his driveway on his Harley Davidson motorcycle when he collided with Ashley Wingers, age 32, of Statesboro, who was traveling in the opposite direction in her 2012 Ford Escape with her oneyear old daughter.

Wingers had attempted to avoid colliding with Hochstetler as she applied hard braking and steered to the left to try to miss him, but was unsuccessful. Hochstetler went 85 feet after hitting Wingers, and his vehicle came to rest on the east shoulder of the road and facing south. After the impact, Wingers moved 29 feet while spinning counterclockwise, before travelling 13 feet into the east shoulder of the road and striking an embankment with the front bumper of the car. Her vehicle came to rest facing north.

According to witnesses, following the collision Wingers’ vehicle caught fire. Witnesses and bystanders quickly jumped into action and pulled the mother and child from the vehicle to safety.

Upon responding to the wreck, Montgomery County Coroner Laurie Holland determined Hochstetler was dead at the scene. Wingers and her daughter had minimal injuries.