State authorities employed the Specialized Collision Reconstruction team to investigate a crash between two vehicles on Interstate 20 in Conyers, Georgia, last weekend. One of the drivers, a 52-year-old woman, died at the scene. The other, a 40-year-old man, required transportation to a hospital in Atlanta for injuries and could face criminal charges.
The collision happened early in the afternoon. The woman was traveling east on the interstate when the car driven by the man hit her vehicle. He reportedly went over a guardrail and through a right-of-way fence after allegedly running a stop sign while traveling northbound on Royal Drive and ended up on the interstate where he crashed into the woman’s vehicle.
The nature and extent of the man’s injuries are unknown at this time, nor is it clear what caused him to reportedly leave the road. It is unknown whether speed was a factor or whether the man could have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The expectation is that authorities will file criminal charges against him pending the results of the investigation by SCRT. However, they have not indicated what specific charges they intend to file.
Law enforcement’s efforts at investigating and clearing the scene closed down I-20’s eastbound lanes for approximately five hours following the accident. Commuters either had to wait for traffic backup to clear or take a detour onto Covington Avenue to bypass the scene entirely.
Criminal charges against a driver do not preclude the possibility of additional civil action. Victims and families affected by a car accident may wish to discuss the case with an attorney.