Heartbroken family of teenager killed by drunk driver pay tribute to ‘joyful’ girl
Heartbroken family and friends have paid tribute to a teenage girl killed by an alleged drunk driver.[1] Olivia Pugh, 17, was tragically killed when walking with friends on a marked road crossing. The schoolgirl was struck by a car[2] driven by 68 year old Jerome Cox in Powder Springs, Atlanta on December 8, sending her flying into a nearby wooded area.
Emergency services rushed Olivia to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in critical condition where she sadly passed away from her injuries. Police said Cox and his passenger were unharmed in the crash. Cox was arrested and is being held without bond on charges including homicide by a vehicle in the first degree and driving under the influence of alcohol.
In memory of Olivia, her loved ones have set up a memorial scholarship fund. They shared their heartbreak and tributes to the much-loved teen on a GoFundMe page. They wrote: “She was a world traveller: London, Paris, Alaska, Hawaii.
She never met a beach she didn’t like. Olivia found time to be silly, too. You knew she loved you if you got a nickname from her (Sasha, her car, felt the love).
Her smile was contagious, even if the smile was for a selfie. She was kind, loving, giggling, and determined, hard-working, and full of life.” For all the latest news, politics, sports, and showbiz from the USA, go to The Mirror US[3]
In memory of Olivia, her loved ones have set up a memorial scholarship fund (ANF)
Jerome Cox was arrested and is being held without bond on charges including homicide by a vehicle in the first degree and driving under the influence of alcohol (Cobb County Police Department)
The fundraiser page shared: “In Honor of Olivia Pugh’s life, we are creating the Olivia Pugh Memorial Scholarship.
Olivia was deeply loved by her family, friends, and her classmates at Harrison High School. In honor of her, this scholarship will go to a hard-working and highly motivated student at Harrison High School.” “If you knew Olivia, you know she was one of the hardest working people you would ever meet.
She was an athlete on the softball and flag football fields, on the basketball court, and on the track. Olivia was president of Beta Club, a member of the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Key Club, Spark, challenged herself with honors and AP courses, and somehow found time to work at Chick-Fil-A.” “She was a world traveler: London, Paris, Alaska, Hawaii.
She never met a beach she didn’t like. Olivia found time to be silly, too. You knew she loved you if you got a nickname from her (Sasha, her car, felt the love).
Her smile was contagious, even if the smile was for a selfie. She was kind, loving, giggling, and determined, hard-working, and full of life.” In a heartfelt message, the family shared their struggle with their loss, saying: “In the most difficult time of our lives, we are still in shock and trying to figure out how to grapple with it.
We have received unwavering support at every turn. We would like to thank our family, friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, Olivia’s amazing friends and their parents, her coaches and teammates, Harrison High School students and teachers, counselors and administrators, and her coworkers.”
School students hospitalised after eating gummy bears that test positive for fentanyl[4]
Emergency services rushed Olivia to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in critical condition where she sadly passed away from her injuries
They expressed gratitude to everyone who has supported them, stating: “A special thank you to the incredible nurses at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital who showed grace and kindness throughout this tragedy. Thank you to the hundreds of people that showed up for the Walk of Honor as she was proud of her decision to be an organ donor.”
Tributes have also poured in from The Cobb County School District. A district spokesperson said: “With great sadness, we announce the sudden passing of 17 year old Olivia Pugh, who attended Harrison High School. Our hearts are heavy, and we will keep Olivia’s family, friends, and entire Harrison community in our thoughts.”
Olivia’s former softball coach, Howie McCormack, also remembered her fondly. He said: “It’s that smile, it’s her soft being of who she was. Once you got to know her, she was a clown.
She truly was. She was just a joy. We were lucky to have Olivia, not the other way around.”
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
You can report any errors to [email protected][5]
References
- ^ drunk driver. (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ struck by a car (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ The Mirror US (www.themirror.com)
- ^ School students hospitalised after eating gummy bears that test positive for fentanyl (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ [email protected] (www.mirror.co.uk)