State officials announced on Thursday that the State Fire Marshal’s office will investigate Saturday night’s fatal accident involving a race car with a mechanial issue at Georgia’s Hartwell Speedway.
The accident occurred during the running of the Open Wheel Modified feature at around 11:30 at the 3/8-mile clay dirt track when, according to a report from the Georgia State Patrol, the steering shaft of one of the race cars broke, sending the car - driven by 36-year-old John Bohannon, 36, of Toccoa, Georgia, into a nearby wall and fence.
Several spectators were struck by the car and the fence in the crash.
One spectator, identified as 57-year-old Paul Ballenger of Royston, Georgia, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Two others, identified as 22-year-old Ricky Hamilton of Danielsville, Georgia and an unidentified 11-year-old, were also injured.
Bohannon was uninjured in the accident.
“Tragically, one person was killed, and two others were injured in this accident,” said Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King. “My investigators are inspecting the track’s permits and ensuring the track itself was up to code at the time of the incident. Our office will provide more updates as soon as they are available.”
The owners of the track made a statement on the accident on Tuesday evening on the speedway’s Facebook page.
“We at Hartwell Speedway have been processing Saturday nights events like the rest of our fans and racing community,” the statement read. “With that being said we would first like to extend our sympathy and offer prayers to all three families that were affected by Saturday nights events. We would also like to thank all those who came to the aide of those injured in such a timely manner, your heroic measures will forever be remembered.”
The statement went on to say the track will not be in operation for the upcoming weekend.
“Out of respect for the families that were affected and to be able to insure that we have the safest facility possible we will be closed this Saturday July 10th,” the statement read. “Our plan is to re-open Saturday, July 17 for a regular race program.”
“We know this is a hard time for everyone and we ask that everyone be patient and help each other through this just like the racing community always does,” the statement concluded.
Saturday’s accident marked the first known fatality in the track’s 52-year history. The facility is located about seven miles outside of Hartwell’s city limits on Speedway Road.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office Inspectors will assist both the Hart County Sherriff’s office and the State Patrol with the crash investigation.
