As of Monday, July 2, 2012
© Copyright 2013
Gwinnett Daily Post
Staff Photo: Brendan Sullivan Ruthanna Corbitt pauses at the intersection of Graystone Parkway and Lakeview Road in Grayson on Monday afternoon, where Brittany Sailors, 16, died in a car accident on Sunday night. Corbitt's two children were classmates of Sailors at Grayson High School.
GRAYSON — A bright orange copy of the New Testament sat at the corner of Lakeview Road and Graystone Parkway Monday, propped up by a Sacred Heart of Jesus candle and flanked by balloons, teddy bears and a praying angel statuette.
The words “You’re So Special,” scrawled across one of the balloons, were directed at 16-year-old Brittany “Angel Sailors,” the teen killed Sunday at the residential Grayson intersection. Sailors was a rising junior at Grayson High School and passed away at the scene of the accident that took her life at about 9:40 p.m. Sunday.
Another driver has been charged with DUI in the Sunday night crash that killed Sailors, but the preliminary investigation has police believing the wreck wasn’t necessarily his fault.
Mutajah Claude Paasewe, 23, of Grayson has been arrested and charged with driving under the influence during the fatal accident. According to Gwinnett County police, however, alcohol may not have been the cause of the wreck.
Police believe Sailors’ gold Mitsubishi Diamante was stopped at the stop sign at Graystone Parkway and Lakeview Road at about 9:40 p.m. Sunday. Paasewe was coming west on Lakeview Road in his Pontiac Bonneville.
According to police, “(Sailors) failed to yield to (Paasewe) and turned left in front of (Paasewe), causing the collision.”
Sailors and her passenger, 16-year-old Lacey Gowens of Lawrenceville, were not wearing seatbelts. Sailors died at the scene, while Gowens, Paasewe and another passenger were transported with non-life threatening injuries.
Gwinnett County jail records show Paasewe, listed as a student at Georgia Gwinnett College, is being held for immigration authorities. Records list his birthplace as Liberia.
Return to www.gwinnettdailypost.com for updates.
Map
Location of crash
More like this story
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- Cops shoot, kill man wanted in Forsyth after chase ( May 13, 2013 )
- Student killed in car crash after prom, 3 injured ( April 29, 2012 )
Comments
gwinnettisgreat1 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Seems pretty obvious to me if the Federal Government did it's job this man would be back in Liberia and would not have contributed to a minor losing her life. I am sure the alcohol that he had been drinking had nothing to do with his reaction time to this girl turning in front of him.
What a mess. Girls not wearing their seat belts, bad decision to turn out, illegal driving drunk... geeze... what a mess.
R 10 months, 3 weeks ago
Gwinnett County jail records show Paasewe, listed as a student at Georgia Gwinnett College, is being held for immigration authorities. Records list his birthplace as Liberia.
Being held on immigration? So I thought the Chancellor and Regents addressed this for GA colleges .. I wonder if he paid Out of State rates? These are your “work permit” receivers folks…
Kristykaymc 10 months, 2 weeks ago
My parents didn't let me leave home after dark with another teen when I was 16.
Sandykin 10 months, 2 weeks ago
What a senseless tragedy. My heart goes out to her parents. I got to wonder how many teens lose their lives instead of walking away from a wreck because they didn't wear their seat belt. Seems to be the case when teens are involved in fatal wrecks. More effort needs to be put into getting teens to buckle up, from parents, to schools to law enforcement.
Hertatum 10 months, 2 weeks ago
It's a sad story. People have to learn the importance of wearing a seatbelt or we are going to keep reading these stories. @Sandykin you are right on, more effort need to be put out there on wearing seat belts. Cool or not they need to to learn it could mean life or death.
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