Bartow County

Adairsville woman, 20, killed in crash at dangerous intersection

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — Residents call for a traffic light after a young woman was killed at intersection.

“It was a very close call, very scary. My mom was 6 feet over, she could have hit the gas heater, my mom could have been another fatality," said Debra Solomon.

Debra Solomon told Channel 2’s Liz Artz she grew up in the house on the corner of Highway 41 and Manning Mill Road in Adairsville, and like her neighbor Jeff Davis, she has seen one tragic accident after another since 2003.

“I know for a fact there has been 28 wrecks at this intersection.” Jeff Davis told Artz.

“How do you know? asked Artz

“I've counted them. I’ve been out here for most of them," Jeff Davis told Artz.

Davis was out there Monday when 20-year-old Chelsey Chapman died after troopers say she hit a mini-van while attempting to make a left turn onto Highway 41.

Chapman spun out of control and nearly collided with Solomon's 90-year-old mother's house.

“I’ve called the Georgia Department of Transportation several times and begged for a red light to be put here," Debra Solomon said.

An on-line petition got momentum only hours after Chelsey's death Monday, residents lobbying for a traffic light. Chelsey's younger brother backs the effort.

“A red light, even a four-way stop. I’ve had close calls there too,” said Chelsey’s brother Landrum Chapman

Chelsey graduated from Adairsville High School last year, her color guard instructor shared several pictures of the 20-year-old Monday. Now a school and family mourn the loss of someone they called a bright star.

“It has not been easy, a lot of tough times, now worse since she passed away, but we love her to death and will always remember her," said Landrum Chapman.

Troopers said the three people struck in the mini-van were taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.