Newton County man dies in Athens wreck taking sons to see Santa

Authorities recently identified the person killed in a two-car collision on Timothy Road on Monday as a 37-year-old Newton County man.Christopher Tyler Evans, of Newborn, was in a car driven by his wife when it was struck in the passenger side by a Jeep, Athens-Clarke police said.Monday was the couple’s wedding anniversary. They were on their way to Georgia Square Mall with their two young sons to see Santa Claus.

Evans’ wife, 35, was traveling north on Timothy Road when she turned into the path of the oncoming Jeep while she was trying to enter the Athens Perimeter, police said.“She said she didn’t see (the Jeep) coming,” Athens-Clarke police Lt. Don Eckert said.The woman’s vision possibly was obscured by a car stopped in a southbound turn lane waiting to make a left onto the Perimeter, Eckert said.

The driver that struck the Evanses’ car was a 16-year-old student at Oconee County High School, police said.After classes that day, he volunteered with a youth group and then went to his job at a local nursing home. He was returning from work at the time of the wreck, which occurred shortly after 6 p.m.Evans’ wife and two sons, ages 5 and 7, were treated at Athens Regional Medical Center and released later that night, police said.The investigation continued on Tuesday, but Eckert did not anticipate any charges.

“This is a story that just got sadder,” the officer said. “It was a tough accident to work.”
Evans’ sons were excited about seeing Santa Claus and showing their lists of gifts they wanted for Christmas, Eckert said. They both have birthdays this month — Dec. 21 and 23.The teen that was driving the Jeep suffered only abrasions from the air bag that deployed upon impact with the Evans’ car, but he was emotionally devastated by the fatal crash.