Final Numbers In For Holiday Weekend

Overall, local authorities say there were no major problems over the New Year’s holiday weekend.

Toccoa Police Chief Tim Jarrell says that his department responded to a few reported burglaries and thefts, as well as a few accidents.

Meanwhile, Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley said the main incident his office responded to over the weekend was where two people fell at Currahee Mountain.

Speaking of that incident, Shirley has released some additional details on that incident, which occurred a little after 8 a.m. Saturday.

Two men had fallen from a rock ledge on Currahee Mountain, with one sustaining substantial injuries and falling 60 to 70 feet, while the other fell about 20 feet and did not sustain any serious injuries.

Shirley said that the two men were ages 21 and 22 and were from Habersham County.

According to the sheriff, initial statements indicate the men fell while they took “selfies” with their phones and lost their footing.

He said no foul play is suspected, but the Sheriff’s Office is still looking into the incident.

The man who sustained substantial injuries was air lifted for treatment, while the other person was treated locally.

Responding agencies included Stephens County Search and Rescue, Stephens County EMS, the Sheriff’s Office, New Hope Volunteer Fire Department, and the Habersham County High Angle Technical Rescue Team.

Elsewhere, the Georgia Department of Public Safety says 11 people were killed over the New Year’s holiday travel period in 10 fatal accidents.

The Gainesville and Athens posts of the GSP reported two of those fatal accidents, but there were none reported in the Toccoa or Hartwell post.

Statewide, troopers investigated 536 crashes with 223 injuries.

The New Year’s travel period lasted from 6 p.m. Friday to midnight Monday.