An Atlanta community is mourning the loss of a young woman after she was involved in what officials are referring to as a “very freak accidental death.”
Keisha Edwards sadly passed away on Wednesday evening after a utility pole came crashing down while she was standing on the side of the road following a car accident, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan confirms to PEOPLE.
The 26-year-old Columbus resident was driving on the 5300 block of Woodruff Farm Road with a male friend when their vehicle was involved in the crash, which they both survived without suffering any injuries, according to Bryan.
After safely exiting their car, the pair headed out to survey the damage, but were involved in another incident — this time, involving an elderly woman who drove her car up a nearby telephone guyed wire, Bryan says.
That crash then caused a utility pole on the other side of the road to snap in half — right where Keisha, her friend, and another driver who stopped to help them were standing, ultimately leading to the fatal collision.
“When the pole broke it became a pendulum, swung and hit the three people, killing Keisha,” Bryan tells PEOPLE. “This is a very freak accidental death.”
Columbus Police Lt. Lance Deaton echoed his sentiments, noting how the series of tragic events were truly a perfect storm.
“Basically, it was a one-car accident — car vs. pole — and everything you would want to happen happened,” Deaton said, according to CBS affiliate WBRL. “All the right things. They appeared to be okay, someone stopped to help.”
Deaton added that Edwards’ friend suffered a broken leg from the utility pole incident, while the person who stopped to helped had a broken foot. He also told the outlet that the accident remains under investigation.
At this time, the elderly woman’s identity has not been released. It is currently unclear what caused her to drive her car into the utility pole and whether she will face charges for her alleged role in Edwards’ death.
Bryan tells PEOPLE that Edwards’ body was transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) crime lab in Decatur on Thursday morning to determine a cause of death.
Her autopsy is scheduled for Friday, though Bryan notes results likely won’t be available for several weeks due to toxicology reports.
A spokesperson for the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office and the Columbus Police Department did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
[via PEOPLE]
