The Georgia Department of Public Safety has released the Georgia Memorial Day fatal accident statistics for 2011. This year, 18 people died over the 78-hour holiday weekend that started at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 27, 2011 and ended at midnight on Monday May 30, 2011. That is a significant increase over 2010 Georgia Memorial Day Weekend fatalities, when our state lost 5 people in motor vehicle crashes.

This year, 11 of the 18 fatalities occurred in Metro Atlanta. Specifically:

• An Atlanta motorcycle accident took the life of a Georgia Tech graduate Liam Rattray.
• A motorcycle accident took the life of Clarence Collymore.
• A car crash near the Gwinnett County and Walton County line killed Jacob Reagan and Rajshed Tersaud.
• A motorcycle accident killed a person in Norcoss, whose name has not yet been released.
• Erik Abarca died after being hit by a car on I-20 in Cobb County.
• Jose Maldonato III was killed in a Cobb County crash.
• Three people died in two Coweta County accidents.
  

The remaining fatalities were reported in or around Dalton, Albany, Hinesville and Helena, Georgia.

We extend our sincere condolences to the families and friends of all 18 people who lost their lives in Georgia accidents over Memorial Day Weekend 2011.