A Georgia couple has left behind 13 children after they were killed in a horrific ATV crash over Labor Day weekend.
Marcus Ragland, 34, and Ashley Hawkins, 31, and seven of their children were riding on an ATV at the Indian Mountain ATV Park, near the Georgia and Alabama state line, on Saturday when the crash occurred.
Ragland was a father of 10, who was expecting two more babies with two other women. Hawkins was a mother of three, two of whom she shared with Ragland.
The family’s side-by-side RZR utility vehicle had collided with another RZR, then overturned and struck a tree, according to the Cherokee County Alabama Sheriff’s Office.
Ragland, who was driving the vehicle, was ejected and pronounced deceased at the scene.
Hawkins was transported to a local trauma center where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The seven children, who are between the ages of 1 and 12 years old, were also injured in the crash and taken to the hospital for treatment.
‘They keep asking for momma, and I don’t want to say because we haven’t told them about her yet,’ family friend Monica Watkins WSB-TV.
Marcus Ragland (left), 34, and Ashley Hawkins (right), 31, were killed in a horrific ATV crash over Labor Day weekend
The couple and seven of their children were riding on an ATV at the Indian Mountain ATV Park, near the Georgia and Alabama state line, on Saturday when the crash occurred
Ragland was a father of 10 who was expecting two more babies and Hawkins was a mom-of-three, two of whom she shared with Ragland
Ragland’s mother, Felicia Towers, said her son was adventurous and went to the ATV park every weekend.
‘I’m still waiting on him to come through the door, but I know he’s not coming,’ she told 11 Alive.
‘This time he wanted to take his children with him, you know, to share the fun. They were ready to go, so it just ended up being a tragedy. I just hate it.’
The couple’s longtime friend, Maya Boyett, told Atlanta News First that they were good people who loved their kids.
‘Both of them are gone. They are both two good people, good to their kids. And I really hate that they’re gone now,’ Boyett said.
‘I’ll always make sure that they know Marcus, say, “Your daddy was that dude,” you know what I’m saying? Always, for sure.
‘I’ll always speak his name, especially around his kids, and let them know they had a good daddy, and I’ll do the same for her kids.’
Ragland’s older sister, Lakeisha Floyd, told the local news station that her brother loved to live life to the fullest.
Ragland’s mother, Felicia Towers, said her son was adventurous and went to the ATV park every weekend
Seven children of their shared children, who are between the ages of 1 and 12 years old, were also injured in the crash and taken to the hospital for treatment
‘And whatever he wanted to do, that’s what he did it. He said, “Life is for living,” and that’s what he did,’ said Floyd.
She described Hawkins as ‘a very sweet soul.’
‘Like always was really, really sweet. I’ve never seen her in a bad mood – like, always smiling,’ Floyd said.
Audrey Dunn, who shared a 5-year-old and 1-year-old with Ragland and is pregnant with another one of his children, said her kids were injured in the crash.
‘I couldn’t find my kids, because they were in the accident,’ Dunn told Fox 5.
‘My 1-year-old is limping, and his face is scratched up pretty bad, [my other son] has a gash on the top of his head, but he’s okay, so thank God the babies are okay.’
She explained that her children are having a difficult time processing what happened and understanding that their father is gone.
‘My oldest son, he’s five, he remembers everything that happened,’ Dunn said. ‘He told me when we got to the hospital, and I got to go in, he said, “Mom, my dad died, but it’s OK because he’ll be back to get me tomorrow.” So he doesn’t understand that he will never see him again.’
The couple’s longtime friend, Maya Boyett, told Atlanta News First that they were good people who loved their kids
Ragland’s older sister, Lakeisha Floyd, she her brother lived life to the fullest and described Hawkins (pictured) as ‘a very sweet soul’
A GoFundMe has been set up to support Ragland’s children. Hawkins’s family set up a separate fundraiser for her kids.
Two of Ragland’s other children told the local news outlet they have been devastated by the news.
‘Ever since I found out, I’ve been really sad,’ said Makaylee McCary, Ragland’s daughter.
Ragland’s son, Blayze McCary, said although hey didn’t have much time with their father, ‘Now, we don’t have no more time with him, so it don’t feel good.’
