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.
Tuesday afternoon's five-vehicle wreck that hurt 11 blocks the main entrance to Toccoa Chevrolet on Big A Road.
After allowing firefighters and emergency medical personnel to safely remove the victim, emergency struts hold the overturned pickup truck in place while troopers complete their investigation.
Habersham County-based AirLife Georgia 2 takes off from an event in Cornelia Wednesday afternoon on its way to pick up a wreck victim in Toccoa.
Once flipped onto its wheels, the damage to the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck is more evident.
After being struck by the cement mixer on Big A Road, this Chevrolet Malibu crossed all lanes of Big A Road, jumped a ditch, and ended up in this parking lot a short distance from the wall of a building.
A look at the driver's side of this Chevrolet Malibu offers a look at where the cement mixer tire struck the side of the car while dodging the white SUV that remains unaccounted for from Tuesday's wreck that hurt 11.
The wreck debris begins in the driveway of Toccoa Chevrolet on Big A Road at Rothell Road Extension and continues up the highway to Gateway Community Chapel.
The driver and four small children, ages 2 to 6, were injured when this Hyundai Santa Fe struck the Chevrolet Silverado pickup.
A Toccoa firefighter checks over the Chevrolet Silverado pickup involved in Tuesday afternoon's wreck on Big A Road.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/5/1103257/driver-flees-after-crash-hurts-11-on-big-a-road-in-toccoa