A South Carolina woman is dead, and another injured, after being involved in a two-vehicle accident on I-85 in Franklin County early Saturday morning.
Michelle Honea Prater, 56, of Westminster, South Carolina, was killed when the vehicle she was riding in was apparently forced off the roadway after being rear-ended by another vehicle.
The Georgia State Patrol said the collision happened in the southbound lanes shortly before 4 a.m. when a gray 2022 Honda HR-V was struck in the rear bumper by a yellow 2018 Dodge Challenger that was following too closely.
"After impact, both vehicles traveled into the median and struck the cable barrier," explained Sgt. First Class (SFC) R. Camran Fleming. "The Honda overturned and came to an uncontrolled final rest on its right side in the median. The Challenger struck the guard rail and cable barrier coming to an uncontrolled final rest, facing south."
Prater was not wearing her seatbelt inside the Honda when the accident occurred, and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver of the Honda, 28-year-old Madison Elizabeth Prater, also of Westminster, South Carolina, suffered serious injuries in the crash, and was life-flighted from the scene to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
SFC Fleming said the driver of the at-fault vehicle was later identified as Thomas Lamar Hardy, Jr., 31, of Gaffney, South Carolina.
"[Hardy] sustained minor injuries and was charged with the following: Vehicular Homicide 1st Degree, Serious Injury by Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Driving Under the Influence, Following Too Close, and Driving While License Suspended," Fleming said.
Both lanes of I-85 Southbound were closed for approximately four hours as the crash was investigated and accident debris was cleared from the roadway.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2025/7/1294893/fatal-accident-causes-4-hour-shutdown-of-i-85-in-franklin-co