ALTO, Ga. — Five people are dead after a wreck on a busy northeast Georgia highway.

State troopers say Avonlea Holtzclaw of Dahlonega was trying to cross U.S. 23 in a Ford Explorer Sunday afternoon when a driver going northbound hit her. The wreck happened near Alto in Habersham County.

Holtzclaw, 29, died in the wreck as did two children in her SUV, ages 5 and 6. Mitchell Boggs, a 58-year-old Marietta man who was driving a Chevrolet Corvette southbound, also died, as did an unnamed passenger.

Both vehicles caught fire, and all the occupants of the vehicles died before they could be taken to a hospital.

The fiery crash shut down the highway, a major artery between the north Georgia mountains and Gainesville, for nearly five hours.

Newsday's food team talks about the 2026 Feed Me Top 50 restaurants list. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas; Newsday archive

Feed Me Top 50 restaurants: How our team makes the list Newsday's food team talks about the 2026 Feed Me Top 50 restaurants list.

Newsday's food team talks about the 2026 Feed Me Top 50 restaurants list. Credit: Newsday/John Paraskevas; Newsday archive

Feed Me Top 50 restaurants: How our team makes the list Newsday's food team talks about the 2026 Feed Me Top 50 restaurants list.

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME