A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in southern Georgia early Sunday morning as a mother and her four young children lost their lives in a fiery crash while driving to reunite with their husband and father in Florida.
The fatal accident occurred around 6 a.m. on April 6 on Interstate 95 in McIntosh County, according to multiple reports. Reagan Dougan, 27, was traveling southbound in a rented Jeep SUV with her three sons — ages 9, 4, and 3 months — and her 2-year-old daughter.
Georgia State Trooper Christopher Ashdown confirmed to the Associated Press that Dougan’s SUV collided with a sedan before striking a guardrail and bursting into flames. Tragically, no one inside the vehicle survived.
The family was en route from their home in Raleigh, North Carolina, to Florida to meet Reagan’s husband, who has since been notified of the devastating loss.
The close-knit Raleigh neighborhood where the family had recently moved is reeling from the news.
“We always waved at each other. She always had a smile on her face. The kids were always happy,” neighbor Jason Flores told WRAL. “Their food always smelled good when they cooked it. It’s surreal — one moment they’re here, and the next, they’re gone.”
The driver of the sedan involved in the crash was taken to the hospital, though their condition has not been publicly disclosed.
Interstate 95 was shut down for about four hours following the crash, as authorities responded and began investigating the scene.
The Georgia State Patrol has yet to release an official statement.
