The Georgia State Patrol hopes someone can identify the driver and white SUV who fled after a five-vehicle crash that hurt nearly a dozen people, including six young children, in Toccoa Tuesday afternoon.
The wreck happened about 3 p.m. on Big A Road at Toccoa Chevrolet and extended off both sides of the five-lane highway.
The driver of the unknown white SUV failed to yield after stopping at the stop sign on Rothell Road Extension and Ga. 17, headed north, said Sgt. 1st Class D.O. Saddler of GSP Post 7 Toccoa.
A 2016 OSHK Chassis H Morgan Concrete cement truck, driven by 23-year-old Bailey Durden of Toccoa, was in the left travel lane of Ga. 17 (Big A Road) headed north.
According to Saddler:
When the unknown SUV failed to yield, Darden tried to miss it, swerved over, and struck a gray 2013 Chevrolet Malibu driven by 33-year-old Elizabeth Phillips of Martin, that was traveling north in the right lane.
The Malibu then traveled across all southbound lanes and struck a white 2013 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 69-year-old Bruce Pruitt of Eastanollee. The Malibu then jumped the ditch as it traveled off the southbound side of the road into a private parking lot.
The pickup truck then went into the northbound travel lanes abs was struck by a black 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by 27-year-old Tabetha Kawelo of Martin.
In the silver Malibu, Phillips and her three passengers, 35-year-old Joseph Phillips, 5-year-old Aiden Phillips, and 3-year-old Charlie Phillips, all of Martin, was transported by ambulance to St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia.
Pruitt’s truck overturned onto its side in the left northbound lane and after stabilizing it, Toccoa firefighters opened the roof to access and remove Pruitt, who was flown to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with suspected serious injuries.
In the Hyundai, Kawelo was transported by ambulance to Northeast Georgia Medical Center.
Four young children in the Hyundai all were transported to Stephens County Hospital, including: 6-year-old Robert Kawelo, 3-year-old Caroline Kawelo, 2-year-old Donnie Kawelo, all of Martin, and 6-year-old Bryan Boreland of Stephens County, Saddler said.
Durden, who was driving the cement mixer, was not hurt.
GSP is investigating, with help from the Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division, and Troop B Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team.
The wreck shut down a stretch of Big A Road for three hours.
