Highway 61 Crash Kills Man, Child

A Saturday evening traffic crash claimed the lives of a man and child, officials said.

The deceased have been identified as Ronnie Eugene Callahan, 28, of Fairmount, and Michael Jaimes, 10, of . GSP spokesman Gordy Wright said the crash happened about 7:20 p.m. Saturday on Highway 61 near Old Alabama Road in Cartersville.

Callahan was operating a Honda motorcycle at a high rate of speed on Highway 61 south and crashed into the right rear of the van as it was making a left turn, Wright said. The motorcyclist was thrown from the bike and killed.

Michael Jaimes, 10, of Acworth, a passenger in the van, was seated in the right back seat and also was killed in the crash, which remains under investigation.

Across the state, 10 fatal crashes have resulted in 11 deaths during this year's Thanksgiving holiday travel period, which began Wednesday evening and ends tonight.