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The Latest: Governor orders flags at half-staff after crash

WATKINSVILLE, Ga. (AP) - The Latest on a car crash that killed four University of Georgia students (all times local):

1:15 p.m.

Georgia's governor has ordered flags at state properties lowered to half-staff in honor of four University of Georgia students killed and one critically injured in a car crash.

Gov. Nathan Deal says in a statement that he and first lady Sandra Deal join those mourning for the women who died and praying for the woman injured.

Deal said "Today, we are all Bulldogs," referring to Georgia's mascot.

The order issued Thursday runs until sunset on Friday.

Authorities say the crash happened Wednesday night, when a car carrying all five students collided with another car just after 9 p.m. on a highway south of the Athens campus.

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11:30 a.m.

The University of Georgia's president says students and staff at the school will gather Thursday evening to reflect on the lives of the four students killed and one critically injured in a car crash.

During a morning briefing, UGA President Jere Morehead said members of the university community are devastated at the loss the students. He said they were very active in campus activities such as the Greek system and religious organizations.

Authorities say the crash happened Wednesday night, when a car carrying all five students collided with another car just after 9 p.m. on Georgia State Route 15 just outside Watkinsville.

Morehead said the aim of the 5 p.m. gathering on the Athens campus is to come together and care for one another during "this time of tremendous sadness."

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10:20 a.m.

The Georgia State Patrol is identifying the four University of Georgia students killed in a car crash, all of whom were from the Atlanta suburbs.

State Patrol Capt. Mark Perry said in a statement they are: 19-year-old Kayla Canedo and 20-year-old Brittany Feldman, both of Alpharetta; 19-year-old Christina Semeria of Milton; and 19-year-old Halle Scott of Dunwoody.

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry said the crash happened Wednesday night when two mid-sized sedans, one northbound and the other southbound, collided just after 9 p.m. on Georgia State Route 15 just outside Watkinsville.

The State Patrol said the driver of the car carrying the students, 21-year-old Agnes Kim of Snellville, Georgia, who is also a student, remained in critical condition at a hospital late Thursday morning.

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9:45 a.m.

The University of Georgia says the school's president, Jere Morehead, plans to speak about the car crash that claimed the lives of four female students and left another student in critical condition.

School officials say Morehead intends to talk about the university's response to the crash during an 11 a.m. Thursday briefing on the Athens campus.

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry said the crash happened Wednesday night when two mid-sized sedans, one northbound and the other southbound, collided just after 9 p.m. on Georgia State Route 15 just outside Watkinsville.

Berry says the five university students were in one of the cars. The driver of the other car was taken to a hospital, but their condition wasn't available.

The student in critical condition was taken to Athens Regional Medical Center.

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4:15 a.m.

Four female University of Georgia students have been killed and another student critically injured in a car crash.

Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry tells local news outlets the crash occurred just outside Watkinsville when two mid-sized sedans, one northbound and the other southbound, collided just after 9 p.m. Wednesday on Georgia State Route 15.

Berry says the five students were in one of the cars. The driver of the other car was taken to a hospital, but their condition wasn't available.

The student in critical condition was taken to Athens Regional Medical Center.

University of Georgia President Jere Morehead issued a statement early Thursday calling the crash "heartbreaking and tragic." He asks that the public "keep these students and their family and friends in your thoughts and prayers."

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