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Midweek Edition - MARCH 29-30,2023 | $2.00 | GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Honestly Local
NTSB: Pilot disoriented during 2021 crash
Three killed when plane wrecked in Gainesville
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
The National Transportation
Safety Board investigating a Febru
ary 2021 plane crash in Gainesville
that killed three people believe the
pilot likely became disoriented
while flying with low visibility.
The safety board released its
final report March 22 on the Feb.
26,2021, crash killing Dan Delnoce,
44, of Gainesville, Courtney Flan
ders, 45, of Gainesville, and Mat
thew Delnoce, 39, of Ohio.
Matthew and Dan were brothers,
and Flanders was married to Dan
Delnoce.
The plane was heading out
around 6 p.m. Feb. 26, 2021 from
Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in
Gainesville to the airport in Day
tona Beach, Florida. It crashed in
the Memorial Park Drive area of
Gainesville.
Dan Delnoce, the pilot, worked
at Specialty Orthopaedics in
Gainesville, while Flanders
worked at Anesthesia Associates of
Gainesville. According to the safety
board’s report, Dan Delnoce had
384 hours of flight time.
At the time of the crash, it was
cold, windy and there was low
visibility.
Investigators examining the air
plane and engine did not see any
malfunctions that would have pre
vented Delnoce from operating the
plane normally.
“The accident and distribution of
the wreckage were consistent with
impact at high speed and with the
engine producing power,” accord
ing to the final report.
The air traffic controller gave
Delnoce a safety alert when it
started descending, but there was
no response.
The report stated that the air
plane’s climbs, descents and
changes in groundspeed are con
sistent with Delnoce experiencing
“spatial disorientation,” where the
pilot cannot correctly comprehend
how fast they are going and where
they are in relation to the ground.
“Contributing to the accident
■ Please see PLANE, 7A
Provided by Kerra Murray
Dan Delnoce and Courtney Flanders were killed, along with Dan’s brother,
Mathew Delnoce, in a 2021 plane crash in Gainesville.
Busy intersection to get new lane
SCOn ROGERS I The Times
Traffic moves through the intersection of Jesse Jewell and EE Butler Parkways Tuesday, March 28.
Traffic improvements coming to Jesse Jewell, EE Butler Parkways
BY BRIAN WELLMEIER
bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes.com
Much-needed improvements to relieve
traffic congestion are expected at one of
the busiest intersections in Hall County.
Construction began Tuesday on a sec
ond left turn lane in the westbound portion
of Jesse Jewell and EE Butler Parkways,
Georgia’s Department of Transportation
said.
Nearby business owners said that while
they welcomed improvements at the
intersection, they’re skeptical whether it
will bring actual relief to the heavy con
gestion there.
“I don’t know how it would be easier or
worse,” Christos Nicolaou, owner of Gyro
Grill, said. “I’d have to see it to believe it
... on Friday evenings, there is a lot of con
gestion. I don’t know how much this will
alleviate traffic. I assume (GDOT) has
made some measures, and we will see.”
Doug Embry, owner of Shoe Repair on
Jesse Jewell Parkway, expressed a simi
lar view and stated, “If you’re coming off
EE Butler, it’s always backed up, so you’re
just going to have three turn lanes trying to
come into two that have already stopped...
a big problem is (traffic) just isn’t moving
at all.”
Motorists should reduce speed and use
caution while traveling west at Jesse Jew
ell and EE Butler Parkways.
Work on the intersection is expected
each day from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. through
April 30, though “some asphalt work may
be done during daylight hours,” depend
ing on weather conditions.
Once complete, each direction will
have two left hand lanes at the intersec
tion, according to GDOT, as well as a sig
nal upgrade with two left turn lights for the
new traffic flow.
“Exact dates may change due to
weather or other factors,” a press release
from GDOT states. “Motorists are cau
tioned to reduce their speed while trav
eling through work zones, stay alert and
watch for workers. Before heading out,
get real-time information on work status
and traffic conditions by calling 511, visit
ing 51 lga.org, or downloading the Georgia
511 app.”
Judge says
teen in fight
can return
to school
BY BEN ANDERSON
banderson@gainesvilletimes.com
An East Hall High School student wrongly
charged with felony battery will be allowed to
return to school after a judge modified his bond
conditions on Tuesday.
“I’m excited (to return to school),” Jhonny
David Mendez told The Times in court. “But
I’m also scared that people might judge me for
something.”
The 18-year-old was charged March 10 with
felony battery and misdemeanor affray after
being accused of kicking teacher Heather
Hawkins in the face during a fight with another
student.
East Hall High Principal Jeff Cooper later
admitted they wrongly charged Mendez after
The Times published a video of the fight along
with a statement from Mendez’s mother saying
her son was not the one who kicked Hawkins.
Cooper also said Mendez was punched first.
Last week, Cooper met with District Attorney
Lee Darragh and asked him to drop Mendez’s
charges. Darragh said Tuesday that the deci
sion was still pending.
■ Please see FIGHT, 7A
SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Jhonny Mendez sits in court Tuesday, March
28, waiting for a bond modification hearing.
High demand drives ride shortage for WeGo service
W GO
BY BRIAN WELLMEIER
bwellmeier@gainesvilletimes
scon ROGERS I The Times
WeGo, a rideshare transportation system and smartphone application
operated by Hall Area Transit, has seen services stall as demand
continues to exceed the number of transit buses on the road.
WeGo, a rideshare transpor
tation system and smartphone
application operated by Hall Area
Transit, has seen services stall as
demand continues to exceed the
number of transit buses on the
road.
Users of the app climbed 55% in
February compared to last year,
according to Phillippa Lewis Moss,
director of Gainesville-Hall County
Community Services and general
manager of Hall Area Transit.
At the start of last year, WeGo
averaged about 350 riders per day,
Moss said. Now, with a total of 17
transit buses available to riders,
WeGo has 480-500 people request
ing rides within a 24-hour period.
WeGo’s transit services, funded
both by Gainesville and Hall
County, received about $2.7 million
in fiscal year 2023.
“The demand has exceeded sup
ply — the program is very, very
popular,” Moss said. “We typically
have 14 on the road, and some
times we have fewer because we
have ... preventive maintenance
requirements... so there are times
we may be down 4-6 vehicles.”
Some residents who rely on the
app — like Jerri Webb, a 65-year-
old retiree — have recently been
left without access to affordable
transportation due to the rising
demand — oftentimes receiving
a notification that reads, “We are
experiencing high demand and
all of our seats are full. Please try
booking again in a few minutes.”
Webb, who recently “gave up”
driving because of her declining
vision, doesn’t have a vehicle of
her own. She said she depends on
WeGo to get to a grocery store or
the pharmacy for her medications.
Webb said she requested a ride
19 times throughout the day on
■ Please see WEGO, 7A
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