Community rallying around Hall County officer who lost entire family in fiery car death

The Law enforcement community and others are coming together to assist a Hall County deputy whose entire family was killed in a car crash.

Deputy Patrick Neil Holtzclaw is experiencing the unimaginable, the death of his wife and children who were all killed in a fiery crash in Habersham County recently.

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office announced the Georgia Law Enforcement Organization’s efforts to raise money to help the deputy with funeral costs and is requesting help from the public.

“With the blessing of Deputy Holtzclaw, his family and our agency, the Georgia Law Enforcement Organization is accepting donations for Deputy Holtzclaw,” the Sheriff’s Office said in the announcement. “The Georgia Law Enforcement Organization is a 501c3 non-profit, so any donations will be tax deductible. No percentage will be deducted from any donation — all monies will go directly to Deputy Holtzclaw.”

The money raised by the Georgia Law Enforcement Organization will help Holtzclaw with funeral expenses for his wife and children. The Holtzclaw children were ages 5 and 6. Anyone who wants to make a contribution to the fundraising effort can do so by visiting tinyurl.com/vt6ubz78.

The crash occurred last week on Tommy Irvin Parkway. Five people, including the wife and young children of Holtzclaw, died as a result. Holtzclaw was not with his family at the time of the accident.

Officials are still investigating the incident, and are trying to determine if speed was a cause. FOX 5 Atlanta is reporting that a Corvette driven by Marietta resident Mitchell Boggs, 58, collided with a Ford Explorer that Dahlonega resident Avonlea Holtzclaw was driving. Holtzclaw was turning left when she was struck by the Corvette, causing both vehicles to burst into flames and killing everyone inside the vehicles. There was one passenger, who has not been identified, in the Corvette with Boggs. Habersham County Sheriff Joey Terrell told the Habersham County Commission on Monday that the Corvette had been traveling at more than 150 mph when the crash occurred, according to several news reports.

Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch has pledged to support Holtzclaw as he mourns the death of his family.

There are no words that can adequately express the heartbreak the Holtzclaw family is experiencing right now, but clearly our entire agency is devastated for them,” Couch said. “We appreciate the many law enforcement agencies that have reached out asking how they can help. If I know our community, they will want to offer support, too. For now, we ask that you remember Deputy Holtzclaw in your prayers and give him time to grieve privately.”