Sculptor chosen for MLK statue dies
The man chosen to create a sculpture of a civil rights icon for the State Capitol has died.
Andrew "Andy" Davis passed away Sunday at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta after he was injured in a car accident in Henry County Saturday.
"The man always had a smile on his face, always had a joke and always had a great story about something and he just made you laugh," said Damon Bohan, a friend of Davis's. "He made you love life."
Just two weeks ago, Governor Nathan Deal announced the state commissioned Davis to sculpt a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
"I'm deeply saddened by the death of Andy Davis. This tragedy is not only a loss for his family, but for the Henry County community and our state. He leaves behind a legacy of excellent work, and I regret that will not include a statue on our Capitol grounds that many generations of Georgians would have admired," Governor Deal said in a statement released by his press office.
The Georgia State Patrol said Davis was waiting at a stoplight on his motorcycle when he was rear-ended by Corey Sease, 20.
Sease was charged with DUI, following too closely and possession of marijuana. Late Monday, troopers announced they had obtained a felony arrest warrant for Sease for first degree vehicular homicide.
The GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team continues its investigation into the crash.
The Davis family plans to hold a celebration of Andy Davis's life at 2p.m. Saturday, July 18 at Hood Street Art Center. That event will be open to the public.