DALTON — Described by his sister as a “class clown,” a Woodstock man killed in an accident in Whitfield County will be remembered Saturday.

The funeral for Victor Osbaldo Benitez, 19, will be at 11 a.m. at Chattahoochee Baptist Church at 375 Johnson Ferry Road in Marietta.

Trooper Michael Best with the Georgia State Patrol said Benitez and Samuel Gonzalez Martinez, 24, of Acworth were killed after the driver of the vehicle they were riding in fell asleep at the wheel and flipped his pickup truck around 7:15 a.m. last Saturday along Interstate 75 near Dalton.

The driver, Alejandro Vega-Carmona, 26, also of Acworth, was charged last Saturday by the GSP with second-degree vehicular homicide, failure to maintain lane and driving without a valid license.

Vega-Carmona was charged with an additional count of second-degree vehicular homicide Wednesday after Martinez’s family had been notified of his death, Best said.

Best said Vega-Carmona was driving himself, Benitez, Martinez and two others back from a job in Missouri.

After traveling all night, Vega-Carmona fell asleep while driving and his F-150 hit a guard rail, overturned and ejected Benitez and Martinez, Best said.

“Both (men) were riding in the bed of the truck,” Best said.

Vega-Carmona was taken to Hamilton Medical Center for his injuries and has since been released. Martinez was in critical condition at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga until his death Sunday, Best said.

Funeral services for Martinez could not be determined by press time.

Best said authorities do not believe alcohol or drugs were involved in the crash.

“From what we can tell, (Vega-Carmona) was not under the influence,” Best said.

Georgia law allows people over the age of 18 to ride in the bed of a truck, Best said, and Vega-Carmona’s two homicide charges are misdemeanors.

Claudia, Victor Benitez’s 18-year-old sister, said her brother was a happy, energetic person.

“He liked to play video games, be with his family and was always cracking jokes,” the Woodstock High School graduate said. “He was just a happy, young loving person. He would talk to anybody and everybody.”

She said her brother was working as a chauffeur while in Missouri.

The Benitez family is collecting money for funeral expenses. To donate or leave messages of condolence, visit www.wepay.com/donations/victor-benitez-s-funeral-donationfundraiser.