DOUGLAS, Ga. (WALB) — The victim of a deadly wreck in Douglas has now been identified.

David Lee Simpson, 57, was killed the night of Aug. 27 after a 19-year-old driver reportedly ran a red light and hit his SUV. The wreck happened around 10 p.m. at the intersection of GA 31 (Peterson Avenue South) and Bowens Mill Road SE.

VIDEO FROM THE NIGHT OF THE WRECK

Official documents show the teen was driving a silver 2017 Ford Fusion north on GA 31 when she ran a red light and hit a white 2014 Infiniti QX80, which was being driven by Simpson. At the time of the crash, Simpson was headed west on Bowens Mill Road SE.

Simpson was trapped in his SUV and later pronounced dead on the scene by the coroner’s office at 11:35 p.m.

The teen driver and three people who were in Simpson’s SUV, including an 11-year-old and a 3-year-old, were taken to a hospital. At this time, it’s unclear how serious their injuries are.

The report from the Georgia Department of Safety notes there were three witnesses to the wreck; one of those witnesses confirmed seeing the teen run the red light. The other two witnesses were in the same car, which was facing south waiting to turn left onto GA 31. They said Simpson was making a left turn facing north on GA 31 when his SUV was hit and flipped. Both witnesses got out of the car to help rescue kids from the wreckage.

The teenager agreed to have her blood drawn at the scene. The results of that toxicology report are pending.

Documents requested by WALB show the Georgia Department of Public Safety issued this same teen a courtesy warning back in January of 2025 for speeding on the same road where this deadly wreck happened.

The sheriff in Coffee County says the teen was let go the night of the wreck, but that charges may be pending. Results of the blood draw have not yet been released.

The family of Simpson has posted a GoFundMe to help pay for burial expenses.

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