“He started his racing career this year and was on a path to make his mark in the industry,” Dixie Speedway Vice President Mia Green wrote about Croft in a Facebook post.

Authorities located the body of a 17-year-old boy in a Georgia Lake on Friday after he went missing the day before.

Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Game Wardens located Jackson Cole Croft just before 4 p.m. ET on Friday, June 6 from Allatoona Lake, Georgia DNR Public Affairs Officer Mark McKinnon told USA TODAY. Croft was recovered shortly after, from 22 feet in the water, by local divers. Located in northwest Georgia, Allatoona Lake is about 35 miles north of Atlanta.

Croft was reported missing on Thursday, June 5 after a boat he was on was found circling in the lake with no driver, McKinnon previously told USA TODAY.

Georgia racing, rodeo communities mourns loss

Croft and his family were avid members of the racing community in Woodstock, Georgia. The 17-year-old had recently begun driving racing car No. 9 at the Dixie Speedway in Woodstock, about 30 miles north of Atlanta.

“This precious family has been a huge part of Dixie Speedway’s history and dear friends for many years,” Dixie Speedway Vice President Mia Green said in a Facebook post on June 6. “Jackson had been around racing his entire life with his dad, Jason Croft. He started his racing career this year and was on a path to make his mark in the industry.”

The Tri-County Racetrack in Brasstown, North Carolina also extended its condolences on social media.

“The entire Tri-County Racetrack family is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Jackson Croft, a vibrant young man whose life was tragically cut short,” a Facebook post reads. “While words can never ease the pain, please know that your racing family stands with you in prayer, love, and support.”

Croft was also involved in Georgia’s rodeo community, specifically through RockN’5L Rodeo Company’s Jr. Pro Division.

To celebrate Croft’s life, the rodeo company, located in Cedartown, Georgia, is hosting a tribute to the late teen on Saturday, June 14. Attendees are encouraged to wear green, as Croft’s favorite color was camo green.

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

Severe weather swept across Georgia this weekend, leaving behind widespread power outages and property damage from high winds, heavy rain, and lightning. Utility crews from across the state, including Georgia Power and local EMCs, have been working nonstop to restore power and ensure public safety.

As of Sunday morning, Georgia Power reported it had restored electricity to more than 190,000 customers since Saturday. Still, thousands remain without service. Significant damage was reported in areas including Athens, Alpharetta, and Rome. Georgia Power noted that its “smart grid” technology enabled remote switching and faster restoration in some areas, even as storms continued to move through the state.

Across North Georgia, electric membership cooperatives have faced similar challenges. Habersham EMC crews worked through the night to repair several broken poles and remove downed wires. The cooperative warned that restoration will take time due to the extent of the storm’s impact, and urged residents to steer clear of fallen lines.

“We know being without power is not pleasant,” Habersham EMC stated. “We greatly appreciate your continued patience and understanding. We won’t stop working until all power has been restored.”

Hart EMC reported 3,593 members still without power Sunday morning and identified five broken poles that need replacement. Three were replaced overnight, despite the labor-intensive nature of the work—each pole taking 3–4 hours to change out. Additional support came from ten Utiliclear workers who cleared trees and debris to assist linemen.

“Our crews are exhausted and hungry, yet they continue working to restore your power,” Hart EMC stated. “Please remember to stay clear of downed lines.”

Meanwhile, Blue Ridge EMC crews are addressing more than 4,000 outages caused primarily by toppled trees and lightning strikes. The utility reported 17 broken poles and asked for the public’s patience as repair efforts continue.

Jackson EMC and Amicalola EMC also responded to widespread outages. At the latest report, Jackson EMC had over 9,000 customers without power, and Amicalola EMC was working to restore service to nearly 4,000 members.

Despite the round-the-clock efforts, utility companies caution that more outages could occur. With the ground already saturated from days of rain, additional wind gusts may bring down more trees and power lines.

Safety remains top priority

Utilities are urging all residents to stay away from downed lines and poles, which could be energized and extremely dangerous. Other safety reminders include:

• Never touch or move tree branches entangled with power lines.
• Avoid standing water or saturated areas where lines may be hidden.
• Do not approach chain-link fences that could conduct electricity.
• Use generators only in well-ventilated areas and follow all manufacturer instructions.
• Unplug sensitive electronics to protect against surges when power is restored.

Stay informed

Georgia Power and local EMCs are providing outage updates through their websites, social media channels, and outage maps. Customers are encouraged to sign up for outage alerts and check for real-time restoration estimates.

Visit GeorgiaPower’s online outage map for updated outage information.

Use the Georgia EMC outage map and alert systems for localized updates.

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DORAL, Fla. – A 27-year-old Georgia man appeared in Miami-Dade bond court Saturday after being arrested in connection with a string of residential and vehicle burglaries in Doral, authorities said.

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Doral police said Lawrence Trevonne Young, of Fayetteville, is accused of stealing a vehicle and breaking into multiple homes and cars in the Doral Landings East community on Thursday.

According to investigators, Young entered a home through a garage door left open, while the residents were asleep, and took credit cards, personal documents, vehicle keys, laptops and other valuables.

Police also said that he stole a 2023 Kia Sportage valued at $21,000.

They said surveillance footage showed a man matching Young’s description walking through the neighborhood around 1:25 a.m., opening car doors and entering several properties.

Investigators said stolen credit cards were later used at stores including CVS and Target, with purchases totaling more than $1,000. Store surveillance and witness statements, including from an Uber driver, helped police identify Young.

Doral police confirmed the arrest of Young on Friday. At the time of his arrest, they said he was found with five credit cards belonging to two of the victims.

Jail records show Young faces charges in two separate cases, including burglary of an occupied dwelling, grand theft, and multiple counts of fraudulent use of credit cards and personal identification.

His total bond was set at $80,500 after a judge found probable cause for all charges.

The judge also issued a stay-away order, prohibiting Young from contacting five victims in connection with the incidents. He was also banned from entering the Doral Landings East community.

He is due back in court later this month.