DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Family members, friends, and community members are expected to gather Thursday evening in DeKalb County to honor 19-year-old Anthony Angeles, who died after a collision involving a Georgia State Patrol vehicle earlier this week.
A vigil is planned along Mountain Industrial Boulevard, where the crash happened Monday.
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According to the Georgia State Patrol, troopers were in the area of Kilman Drive and Bibb Boulevard responding to reports of illegal stunt driving.
Investigators said multiple vehicles had been moving between locations throughout the night.
Troopers said several vehicles fled when law enforcement arrived, prompting a pursuit of a white Chrysler 300 that drove over a curb in an attempt to escape.
While responding, a Georgia State Patrol Crime Suppression Unit K-9 trooper was traveling through the intersection of Mountain Industrial Boulevard and Hugh Howell Road when the patrol vehicle collided with a GMC pickup truck.
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Investigators said troopers had observed the pickup truck just minutes earlier participating in the suspected stunt-driving activity.
Both vehicles caught fire following the collision.
The trooper and K-9 escaped through a window, and authorities said the trooper then attempted to help the people inside the pickup truck.
Angeles, a passenger in the truck, was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
The driver, identified as 20-year-old Emilio DeJesus of Conyers, suffered injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to GSP.
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Georgia State Patrol said the crash remains under investigation. The agency’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is reviewing what happened, while the Office of Professional Standards is conducting an administrative review of the law enforcement response.
In a statement following the crash, GSP said, “Illegal stunt driving and the deliberate blocking of public roads can put everyone in danger, including participants, other drivers, law enforcement officers, and people who simply happen to be nearby. In this case, a young man lost his life.”
The community vigil comes as investigators continue working to determine exactly what led to the fatal crash.
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