HALL COUNTY, Ga. — Flowers and balloons color the roadside where a popular Hall County teacher and coach was killed in a motorcycle crash.
Throughout the day on Wednesday, students arrived to place bouquets by a signpost at Jesse Jewell Parkway and Old Cornelia Highway where Victor Vega, 54, was killed Tuesday morning while driving his motorcycle to East Hall High School.
The Georgia State Patrol said the driver of a Chevrolet Suburban turned left and crossed straight into Vega’s path. He hit the front bumper, was thrown from his bike and was run over by the SUV. Maria Escobedo, the driver of the Suburban, is charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and failure to yield while turning left. She was booked into the Hall County jail.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
“He was just a positive influence on everyone he met,” said Justin Satterfield, a special needs teacher whose class stopped by the crash scene to lay flowers and share a moment of silence. “You never saw him in a bad mood. You never heard him say anything negative about anything.”
Vega, who had a master’s degree in business administration, taught teenagers business and how to prepare for a career. He also served as coach for the baseball and softball teams at East Hall High School.
Adam Rich, the athletic director and assistant principal, told Channel 2’s Bryan Mims that Vega was a teacher who overflowed with optimism and encouragement.
“He brightened your day,” he said. “He always had a smile on his face. He made you feel like you were the most important person in that building.”
Rich said Vega had a successful career in the private sector, but felt a calling a few years ago to become a teacher.
“At first, I didn’t think we’d be able to keep him when I showed him the disparity in pay,” Rich said. “But he said he wanted to make an impact on kids. And he did.”
Vega played college baseball and had a passion for mentoring young athletes.
“And he would spend hours with those kids and try to figure out what to do an how to make them better and how to grow them,” Rich said.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Alpharetta dealership employee says she was kidnapped after customer had his car serviced
- Police kill peacock with shotgun after service call in LaGrange
- 2 charged after deadly shooting connected to motorcycle gang rivalry, Forest Park police say
The East Hall Lady Vikings Softball team posted a message on social media, describing Vega as “more than just a coach to our team. He was a mentor, a motivator and a constant source of encouragement and positivity to our girls.”
Students have created another memorial outside classroom 1105, where Vega taught his business class. Flowers, balloons and many handwritten letters adorn tables in the hallway.
“This morning, we had at least 40 kids out here who just wanted to pay homage and bring flowers,” Rich said.
Counseling teams have been on campus to help students through their grief.
The East Hall Vikings Athletic Department had a written statement, calling Vega “a beloved teacher, coach, husband and father who lit up every room he entered. His passion for students was unmistakable, and his impact on the East Hall community was profound.”
Satterfield said Vega was an inspiration for both students and teachers.
“I wish I could find the positivity in everything like him,” he said. “And just being in his presence makes you want to be a better person.”
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
