Update: Community rallies around family after crash kills a Monroe grandfather and severely injures his grandson

A GoFund me has been established to help with funeral and hospital expenses

Undated photograph of John Martin and his grandson, Conner Schoon, from the Gofundme post.

Update

The community is rallying around the family of John Carter Martin, 66, of Monroe, killed in a crash involving an ambulance Sunday, and his grandson, Conner Schoon, who was critically injured in the same incident. Although in a stable condition now, the grandson has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

His sister, Kelsey Boyd, has started a GoFundMe to help pay for her grandfather’s funeral and some of her brother’s hospital bills.

“Anything you can donate would help my family out greatly. Even if you can’t donate at this time, please continue to pray,” she wrote in the GoFundMe. “I’m asking for funds to go towards Conner’s hospital bills, future rehab, and therapy. Along with that, any help with my Papa’s funeral expenses would be greatly appreciated.”

Anybody who wishes to donate can do so at this liink.

The crash occurred when Martin had stopped to assist his grandson on Atlanta Highway in Oconee County. It involved an ambulance from Northeast Georgia Medical Center that crashed into the vehicles while Marin and his grandson were outside the vehicles.

The crash is currently under investigation by Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team

Initial Story

A Monroe man died Sunday night in a crash in Oconee County. According to Georgia Department of Public Safety public information officer Lt. E. Starling, at about 9:53 p.m. on March 15, Georgia State Patrol troopers were dispatched to a three-vehicle fatality crash on Atlanta Highway, east of Whitehead Road, in Oconee County.

“The investigation revealed that a white Toyota Camry was disabled in the westbound travel lane on Atlanta Highway. A maroon Ford F150, driven by Mr. John Carter Martin from Monroe, Georgia, stopped to assist the driver of the Camry. Mr. Martin parked his vehicle in front of the Camry, facing east in the westbound travel lane. Both drivers were outside their vehicles working on the Camry when a Northeast Georgia Medical Center ambulance, traveling westbound on Atlanta Highway, struck the Camry in the rear,” Starling said. “The impact caused all three vehicles to travel onto the north shoulder of the roadway. Both drivers were pinned underneath the ambulance.”

Starling said that Martin succumbed to the injuries he sustained at the crash scene, and the other driver was seriously injured and was transported to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center.

According to Cody Alcorn of 11 Alive News, Martin was assisting his grandson on the side of the road when the ambulance crashed into them. The grandson was taken to Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center before being taken by air ambulance to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Arthur M. Blank Hospital.

Starling said Troop B Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team responded to assist with this crash investigation and charges are pending the conclusion of the Troop B SCRT investigation.