A Sunday morning accident in Lowndes County, Georgia has taken the life of a Live Oak man and sent his friend, also a Live Oak resident, to jail for the fatality.

The crash happened at about 2:36 a.m. when a 1998 GMC Jimmy driven by James Skinner, 21, of Live Oak was heading west on McMillan Road in Valdosta when it went onto the north shoulder, said Georgia State Patrol Officer Anthony Heath. Skinner lost control of the vehicle, struck a tree with the passenger side and continued west before the vehicle struck a culvert and overturned.

Passenger Joshua Bo Sperring, 20, also of Live Oak, was thrown from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene of the crash due to injuries sustained from the ejection.

Neither man was wearing a seat belt, according to authorities.

Skinner was treated for injuries at South Georgia Medical Center and released to the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office.

Skinner is being charged with first-degree homicide in Sperring’s death, driving under the influence, failure to maintain lane, reckless driving, possession of marijuana and not wearing a seat belt, according to a statement by the Georgia State Patrol. Heath also said alcohol was a factor in the crash and upon investigation at the crash scene, a bag was found containing about four grams of marijuana.

Sperring, who attended Suwannee High, was a life long resident of Live Oak, attended Westwood Baptist Church and was employed with Stankunas Concrete. He was the son of Karen and Sergio Castro of Live Oak, brother of Evie Castro and Reed Castro, both of Live Oak, and was the maternal grandson of Reginald “Bo” and Shirley Sperring of Live Oak and nephew of Keith Sperring of Gainesville. Cousins Austin and Jordan Sperring and numerous aunts and uncles also survive him.

Services for Sperring will be held Thursday, Feb. 3 at Westwood Baptist at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at Live Oak Cemetery. Visitation will be held at Suwannee Funeral Home at 932 North Ohio Ave from 6-8 p.m. tonight, Feb. 2.

The investigation has been turned over to the Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team in Valdosta, a group of investigators specially trained for properly documenting evidence in collisions. They gather statistics to be used for successful court prosecution and to save lives by avoiding future collisions.