The quiet stretch of U.S. Highway 84 near Liberty County High School turned tragic just after dawn Sunday when a head-on collision claimed the life of a young woman from Allenhurst.
Police say the wreck happened shortly after 6:00 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. 84/Georgia 38 and John Martin Road. According to the Georgia State Patrol, a 2016 Honda Civic driven by 20-year-old Kortney Jackson was headed the wrong way in the eastbound lane when it smashed into a 2025 Genesis GV70 coming from the opposite direction.
Emergency crews rushed Jackson to Liberty Regional Medical Center in Hinesville where she was pronounced dead from her injuries. Her loss left family, friends and neighbors in shock, still trying to grasp how a morning drive ended so suddenly and violently.
The driver of the Genesis, an adult man, was taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah. Officials say he was conscious and alert when taken from the scene, though his condition remained under observation as investigators worked the case.
Responders closed both directions of U.S. 84 for several hours as troopers combed the wreckage and pieced together what led to the collision. Witness accounts and patrol reports suggest Jackson entered the eastbound lane against traffic, but authorities continue to investigate the full set of circumstances.
To friends and family, Kortney was a young woman with her whole life ahead of her. Those who knew her speak softly of her smile, her energy, and the plans she never got to see through. In a community where everyone seems to know someone, her passing has struck deep.
As the investigation continues, loved ones have asked for privacy and support. They say they’re leaning on each other and on the kindness of their neighbors during the hardest hours. Her memory, they say, will live in stories told and moments shared.
The Georgia State Patrol has not released additional details about charges or possible contributing factors such as weather or impairment. Drivers in the area were reminded to stay alert as law enforcement wrapped up their work and reopened the roadway.
