A massive tree toppled across two lanes of Highway 56, crushing a Ford Taurus and killing an 18-year-old, his girlfriend and his father just days after graduation
BURKE COUNTY, Ga. — A massive tree fell across two lanes of Highway 56 South Saturday night, killing two freshly minted high school graduates and a father in what has devastated a small Georgia community still celebrating commencement.
The three victims — James K. Walker, 65; his 18-year-old son, Kencerio D. Walker; and Kencerio’s 18-year-old girlfriend, Nykeria Johnson — were all found inside a blue Ford Taurus that sustained heavy damage after the tree came down in the area of Story Mill Road. Kencerio Walker and Johnson were identified as Class of 2026 graduates of Swainsboro High School in Emanuel County. James Walker was a former employee of the same school. A second vehicle, a black Jeep Cherokee, was also struck by the tree on its north side; its 18-year-old driver, a Midville resident, suffered only minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
The Burke County Sheriff’s Office responded to the crash Saturday night but did not publicly disclose the circumstances that led to the tree falling. Swainsboro High School officials confirmed the deaths without naming the victims and issued a statement expressing condolences to “all of the families, friends, classmates and everyone affected by this heartbreaking loss.” Swainsboro Mayor Lillie Ann Brown, who said she has known the families for years, shared a photo of the three victims on Facebook and called on the community to pray and stand together in the wake of the tragedy.
GoFundMe fundraisers established for Johnson and the Walker family have collectively raised more than $6,000. A candlelight vigil planned by the Class of 2026 was postponed due to weather.
The cause of the tree’s collapse has not been determined, and no further details about the circumstances of the crash have been released by authorities.
