MCDONOUGH - Sculptor Andy Davis, who created a sculpture for the Light House Village in Conyers and was recently tapped to create a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for the Capitol grounds, was critically injured in an accident early Saturday morning.
According to Georgia State Patrol, Davis was riding a motorcycle around 12:35 a.m. near the intersection of Jodeco Road and the I-75 ramp and was stopped at the traffic light in the left eastbound lane of Jodeco Road.
A black Toyota pickup truck driven by Corey Ashton Sease, 20, was also traveling in the left eastbound lane of Jodeco Road and struck Davis' motorcycle from behind.
Sease was charged with DUI, following too closely, and possession of marijuana less than 1 ounce.
Davis, 53, was air-lifted and hospitalized at Grady Memorial reportedly with skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries.
He was not officially deceased as of 9 p.m. Saturday. Family and friends say his organs will be donated - Davis was clear with them about his status as an organ donor - and he is being kept on life support until the process is completed. However, he was described as "essentially deceased."
His mother, local artist Diane Davis, said her son lived by the adage, "Whatever bad happens, some good will come out of it." Lives will be saved and transformed with her son's organs, she pointed out. Community members are also helping to organize for a foundation to provide scholarships for art students in her son's name.
Andy Davis, a McDonough resident, and his wife of 31 years, Gerri, have two adult children, Alex and Stephanie.
Davis began his career as a full-time sculptor in 1999. His works include music legend Ray Charles, the Georgia Police Memorial, Chick-Fil-A founder Truett Cathy, Griffin County founder Gen. Lawrence Griffin and Patrick Henry. His studio, the Andy Davis Studio in the Hood Street Arts Center, is located in McDonough.
Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is conducting a follow-up investigation of the crash. Check back later for more details.
