North Forsyth Graduate John Mills Dies in Idaho Car Crash at 23

John G. Mills IV, the 23-year-old North Forsyth High School graduate his family and friends called "J," was killed March 21 when the vehicle he was riding in rolled off U.S. Highway 91 near Preston, Idaho. The single-vehicle rollover crash occurred at 9:45 a.m. on U.S. Highway 91, just north of Preston. A 22-year-old driver was headed southbound when the vehicle went off-road and overcorrected, causing it to roll over the guardrail. Mills, who was the passenger, died at the scene. The driver was transported by ground ambulance to a local hospital. Both were wearing their seatbelts, Idaho State Police said.

Mills was originally from Cumming, Georgia, and was a passenger in a 2005 Toyota Highlander heading south on U.S. 91. He graduated from North Forsyth High School, where he was involved in marching band, choir, and FBLA. BYU-Idaho Public Affairs Director Brett Crandall confirmed that Mills had been a student at the university since 2025, where he was majoring in biology.

Born on June 4, 2002, Mills was the oldest son in his family and is survived by his parents, three siblings, and grandparents. Family members say Mills had recently completed a mission for his church, serving in the Idaho Pocatello mission from August 2022 to August 2024. His return to Idaho to study biology at BYU-Idaho placed him back in the same region where he had spent two years in service.

Friends and community members launched a GoFundMe to support the Mills family as they navigate both emotional and financial challenges, citing unexpected expenses including travel and funeral arrangements. Family friend Phillip Smith wrote on the fundraiser page: "Jay touched the lives of many, and his memory will be cherished by all who knew him."

His funeral is scheduled for March 27. The identity of the Forsyth County man injured in the same crash has not been released.