The driver suspected of causing a head-on wreck that killed a Paulding County teacher had worked as a deputy for two weeks, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
Joshua Powell, 31, of Jasper, had just finished a 12-hour shift at 6 a.m. Tuesday and was off duty when the crash occured.
No charges have been filed in the wreck, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The wreck happened at approximately 7 a.m. on Dallas Acworth Highway near Frey Road, the Georgia State Patrol said late Tuesday. Investigators for the State Patrol reported Emily Howell was driving northbound in a Ford Mustang when a Jeep Wrangler driven by Powell traveling southbound crossed the center line and struck her head-on.
Howell, 32, of Dallas, died at the scene of the wreck. Powell, the driver of the Jeep, was taken to WellStar Kennestone Hospital for treatment.
Powell was hired as a detention officer with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office on April 30, a spokeswoman for the agency said.
The crash remains under investigation, the State Patrol said.
Howell taught fourth grade at Russom Elementary School, where she was hired in 2015, the Paulding school system said. The wreck happened less than three miles from the school.
“She was a very dedicated teacher, and her students always came first,” the school district said in an emailed statement. “She was a hard worker who volunteered for numerous clubs and out-of-class activities, and she was an excellent communicator with parents. She will be dearly missed. We ask that you keep Ms. Howell’s family in your thoughts and prayers at this time.”
Grief counselors were at the school following Howell’s death.
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