“He was the best fisherman I’ve ever known,” his grandfather said.

Obituary information is on Page 2A.

Hiers’ death came on the first day of the Memorial Day holiday, although it was too early to count toward Georgia State Patrol statistics for the holiday weekend, which started at 6 p.m. Friday and continues through midnight Monday.

The GSP predicts 2,401 traffic crashes over the weekend, resulting in 18 deaths and 1,012 injuries.

“Last year, Georgia experienced a record number of traffic deaths for the Memorial Day weekend,” said Col. Bill Hitchens, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety. “We will have every available trooper and officer on patrol during the heaviest travel periods of the weekend targeting impaired drivers, occupant protection violations and aggressive drivers.”

Hitchens said troopers and state officers will patrol not only the interstates but secondary roads as well.

“Last year, Georgia experienced 32 traffic deaths during the holiday period, and 22 of those deaths occurred on the state highways and county roads,” he said. “Our goal is to intercept dangerous drivers before they can cause a fatal crash.”

Those 32 include one pedestrian, three motorcyclists and 28 people in cars or trucks. Of those in cars or trucks, 16 were not wearing seat belts.