Family of Dacula Brothers Killed in Wreck Thanks Community For Support

The Dacula High School community is coming to grips with the deaths of two brothers who perished from the injuries they sustained in a two-car accident Friday morning not far from the school.

Authorities said Jared Brown, 17, died Friday after the 7 a.m. accident on Ga. 316 at Harbins Road. Brown was the driver of the car.

Gwinnett Police said Saturday morning that Jaison Brown, 15, the passenger, has died at Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, where he was admitted with critical injuries.

“Jaison was pronounced dead last night at approximately 8:30 p.m. due to no brain activity,” the Brown family said in a Saturday afternoon statement (see more below), sent to Patch on behalf of the family by Kevin V. Harris, lead pastor of Lawrenceville Church of God. “The family would like to thank Gwinnett Medical Center and the many physicians and nurses who worked so diligently in effort to save his life. Unfortunately, his traumatic injuries were too great to overcome.”

• RELATED: Dacula High Mourns After Car Wreck Kills 2 Students

More from the family statement:

The parents, Paul and Merrill Brown, are grateful for all of the prayers and support for their family. Hundreds have come to Gwinnett Medical Center to show their love. They are so grateful to the outpouring of support given by their church family and pastoral staff at Lawrenceville Church of God. Several hundred students gathered last night at the Dacula High School football field for a candlelight ceremony honoring Jared and to pray for Jaison. Both Brown brothers played on the Dacula High soccer team. The family has found strength and comfort through the large outpouring of prayers and kindness from the community.

Memorial services for the brothers have yet to be finalized. However, the community has come together to show support for the family and for each other.

Tonight’s Archer-Dacula football at Dacula -- which was postponed from Friday -- will be a ”brown out” game, with fans being asked to wear all brown clothing to the game to show support for the family. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Also, a GoFundMe account has been set up to support the family financially. As of 2 p.m. Saturday, $4,500 of the $10,000 goal had been raised.

“Thank you for your support of this family,” the family statement said. “They ask to respect their privacy by allowing them time to grieve with the immediate family.”

Police said Friday that investigators with the Accident Investigation Unit determined Jared Brown was driving a red 1992 Honda Accord and was in the eastbound left-turn lane to turn from Ga. 316 onto Harbins Road just before the accident.

The driver of the other car, Richard Ford, 44, of Bethlehem, was driving a red 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser, and was westbound on 316 in the left lane when Brown apparently turned in front of him, resulting in the collision.

It was the second tragic death in less than two weeks for the school

On Oct. 21, a student died after intentionally hurting herself in the gymnasium.

Photo: Jared and Jaison Brown; family photo