Car leaves U.S. 441 in Baldwin, lands beside railroad

BALDWIN - One person was hurt when the car she was driving left U.S. Highway 441, traveled down a steep embankment, and ended up on its roof beside the railroad in Baldwin Wednesday morning.

"It appeared the vehicle traveled off the east side of the roadway, traveling over a concrete raised gore, then continued traveling behind the guardrail," said Cadet Haney of the Georgia State Patrol. "It traveled down an embankment and overturned, landing on its top."

The northbound Chrysler 300 sedan left the road at the driveway of McDonald Auto Sales and continued forward on the shoulder of the highway and into a ravine. The car landed under the U.S. Highway 441 bridge over the Norfolk Southern railroad near Industrial Boulevard.

"It wasn't on the railroad tracks, it was just next to the tracks facing east," Haney said.

"There was only one person in the vehicle, and a dog was in the vehicle, too," Haney said.

The driver was hurt and had to be removed in a basket with the use of a rope rigging system and 18 fire, medical, and law enforcement personnel. She was complaining of a back injury, Haney said.

"The dog was turned over to her son," Haney said.

The wreck remains under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol and Norfolk Southern Police Department.

Emergency personnel at the scene said teamwork made a difficult rescue operation go smoothly.

"Everybody worked together, police, fire, and EMS, to accomplish this," said Baldwin Fire Capt. Jamie Tyler.

"We had a lot of help," said Baldwin Police Officer Daniel Seeley. "We had Habersham County Sheriff's Office, Cornelia Police Department, our fire and police from Baldwin, the railroad people. We owe a lot of thanks."

Further details about the driver and any possible charges were not available.