Yahoo! News that the mayor of Emerson, Georgia, and his wife were killed in a crash that an intoxicated driver caused.
The Bartow County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that the fatal crash happened at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, along Knox Bridge Highway in Cherokee County when the driver of a pickup truck lost control of his vehicle, crossing the center line into oncoming traffic.
The truck struck one vehicle head-on while two additional vehicles were involved in a chain reaction crash. Mayor Albert Pallone and his wife, Camilla Pallone, were in the car that was struck head-on by the pickup truck.
Paramedics and Sheriff’s deputies responding to the crash declared Pallone and his wife dead at the scene. The drivers and passengers in two additional cars were reported as suffering only minor injuries in the crash.
Deputies have determined that the pickup truck driver was operating his vehicle while impaired. He has been charged with DUI and two counts of vehicular homicide.
Georgia officials have not released the name of the suspect driver.
The tragedy has left the Pallone family and the small community of 1400 people devastated.
Albert Pallone served as mayor of Emerson for 15 years and on the City Council for 23 years. Residents of the town say he did a lot for the community and will be sorely missed.
On behalf of the attorneys and staff of our firm, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Pallone family and the people of Emerson, Georgia, at this difficult time.
