One Person Dead, Two People Injured in Houston County Car Crash

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Houston County teenager died in a car crash Sunday after the driver started racing up the street and lost control of the vehicle.

44-year-old Danny Wheeler is facing felony charges and several traffic offenses.

Houston County investigators were called to the scene of the crash around 2 a.m. Sunday. Three people were inside of the wrecked 2010 Ford Mustang GT. The driver, Wheeler was seriously injured and flown by helicopter to the Medical Center of Central Georgia.

The back seat passenger, 26-year-old Michael Spence was also transported to the Medical Center of Central Georgia and is listed in critical condition.

The front seat passenger 17-year-old Colten Winkler died as a result of the crash.

According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Wheeler was driving when he met up with another vehicle and started racing on Duke Road near Toomer Road. Both cars reached high speeds and Wheeler lost control of the vehicle. The car traveled several hundred feet on the shoulder before crashing into a fence and then into a large tree. Investigators say alcohol is considered to be a contributing factor.

Anyone with more information on the accident is asked to contact the Houston County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Division at 478-542-2080.