Bolemon sentenced to prison after guilty plea

The male responsible for the September 2017, wrong-way crash that claimed the lives of two females, has been sentenced to time in prison.

According to officials with the District Attorney’s Office, on October 10, 17-year-old Tristen Cade Bolemon plead guilty to two counts of felony grade homicide by motor vehicle.

On September 9, 2017, Bolemon killed 29-year-old Allyson Franklin and 65-year-old Kathy Franklin, who were driving on Ga. 365 by hitting their car head-on.

At the time of the accident, Bolemon was drunk and was driving in the wrong direction on Ga. 365.

According to reports issued by the Georgia State Patrol, at 4:27 a.m., Stephens County 911 received a call of a wrong-way driver on Ga. 365 near the Stephens/Habersham County line.  Three minutes later, at 4:30 a.m., dispatchers were notified of the head-on collision.

In the Superior Court of Stephens County, Judge Chan Caudell, sentenced Bolemon to eight years with three years being served in the Georgia State Prison system.

Caudell said, “two innocent women were killed by Bolemon’s decision to drink and drive.”

Following his sentencing, Bolemon was taken into custody and is being housed at the Stephens County Detention Center until the Georgia Department of Corrections transports him to prison.

District Attorney George R. Christian released a statement encouraging all parents and educators to use this tragedy as an opportunity to talk to their children and students about the dangers and risk of drinking alcohol, taking drugs, and driving.