16-year-old boy killed in crash in DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — DeKalb police and fire crews say a teen was killed in a violent crash on Hairston Road near Wesley Chapel Road.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was at the scene, where witnesses said the driver lost control of the car and slammed into a telephone pole, splitting it in half.

Police identified the driver as a 16-year-old but did not release his name. Members of the teen’s family were on the scene.

Police said he was in the car alone.

The teen’s mother was inconsolable as she watched first responders remove her son’s body from the wreckage.

Witnesses told Seiden they believe speed and road conditions may have been to blame. Several people said they heard and felt the crash from inside their homes.

“We just heard something that sounded like an earthquake coming down here, and we knew it was raining,” Shon Freeman said.

Freeman was one of dozens of neighbors who rushed outside to see what had happened.

Officers shut the road down for two hours to investigate.

Neighbors told Seiden there have been numerous crashes along the same stretch of road.

They said they are hoping this latest tragedy will result in additional lights, traffic signals and they’re also asking for additional patrols.

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