A pair of lost earbuds sadly led to a young woman’s death in Evans, Georgia.

In a devastating event, 21-year-old Alyssa Drinkard died after being caught in a conveyor chain at the Club Car manufacturing plant off Washington Road while trying to retrieve her AirPod that she had dropped underneath the machine.

The incident occurred on Friday, March 8 at around 9:45 p.m.

A report from the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office detailed that while reaching in with her arm in an attempt to retrieve the earbud, Drinkard became entangled in the conveyor’s chain mechanism. Witnessed by her colleague, Fae’Zsha Smith, the amount of blood and the severity of the situation quickly became apparent. Smith’s immediate attempts to aid Drinkard were hindered by the machinery, prompting an urgent call for the maintenance crew to halt the conveyor.

The maintenance team responded by deactivating the conveyor and beginning its disassembly to extricate Drinkard. Emergency responders, arriving on the scene, executed a delicate operation, cutting through the conveyor’s metal frame to rescue her. Despite having a pulse when freed and immediate emergency medical procedures, Drinkard succumbed to her injuries after being rushed to the hospital.

The incident has profoundly affected her co-worker, Smith, who recounted Drinkard’s usually quiet but positively impactful presence among their peers. 

“Seeing her in such a state has somewhat traumatized me,” Smith confessed, her voice occasionally shaking as memories of her past coworker came flooding back. She has not returned to work and is not sure if she will. 

Club Car, with its headquarters in Augusta, Georgia, and a reputation as a leader in the golf cart industry, has publicly expressed its condolences. The company affirmed its cooperation with the ongoing investigation led by local authorities and occupational safety agencies, aiming to determine the accident’s cause and prevent future occurrences.

Drinkard, remembered fondly for her kindness and the joy she brought to her colleagues, had been part of the Club Car team for about a year. Her untimely passing has ignited discussions on workplace safety, highlighting the necessity of stringent safety protocols and emergency action plans.