Crash injures three teens
Driver hits 80 mph in 35 mph zone in south Fulton County on hilly and curvy road.
Sandra Eckstein - Staff
Saturday, October 28, 2000

A teenager driving more than 40 miles per hour over the speed limit lost control and hit a tree, leaving two south Fulton high school students hospitalized.

Police say Timothy E. Dinsmore Jr., 18, of Fairburn, was driving a 1996 Cadillac east on Old Jonesboro Road when he crashed at the intersection of Gresham Street.

Union City Police Chief Michael Isome said speeding apparently caused the wreck.

"It's a residential neighborhood, it's a 35 mph speed zone," Isome said. "We estimate he was going about 80 mph."

Isome said the front passenger, Ronrigus Jones, 18, was thrown from the car. Jones was in stable but guarded condition Friday at Grady Memorial Hospital.

The back seat passenger, Willie Williams, 14, had to be pried from the car, Isome said. Williams was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at Atlanta Medical Center Friday evening.

Dinsmore received only minor injuries and was treated and released.

Isome said the street is somewhat "hilly and curvy," but he said it's not a dangerous street.

"It's not one of those killer intersections you read about," he said.

Jones is a senior and Williams is a freshman at Creekside High School in Fairburn, a school official said.

Isome said none of the teens was wearing a seat belt.

Dinsmore was charged with reckless driving, speeding, lane violations and seat belt violations, Isome said. He said officials believe the car belongs to Dinsmore's father.

The crash is the latest in a string of accidents throughout metro Atlanta in which teenagers have been killed or injured while driving or riding with other teenagers.

School counselor Marion Dinkins said he met with the two students' classes Friday morning.

"We were just talking (Thursday) about all the student accidents," Dinkins said. "They both were banged up pretty good; we're just keeping our fingers crossed and hoping they'll be OK."