Authorities have charged a Clarkesville man with DUI in a wreck near Tallulah Falls that injured him and two others Friday afternoon.
According to the Georgia State Patrol’s preliminary crash investigation, 57-year-old Jeffrey Moss was driving a Ford Ranger pickup truck east on Historic Highway 441 north of Clarkesville. Troopers say Moss ran a stop sign at the intersection with GA 15/US 4441 and traveled into the path of a southbound Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by 77-year-old Ferd Kilby of Tiger.
The front of the vehicles collided, causing the pickup to spin and strike the Jeep on the passenger side.
The wreck injured Moss and Kilby, a passenger in the Jeep Cherokee, 77-year-old Harlene Kilby, also of Tiger.
Emergency personnel were dispatched to the wreck around 6:16 p.m. on July 12. Habersham EMS transported the injured patients to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with minor injuries, the State Patrol says.
In addition to DUI, troopers charged Moss with failure to stop at a stop sign, stopping in a prohibited place, and open container.
Georgia State Patrol Public Information Officer Courtney Lund says Moss was admitted to the hospital. Arrest warrants have been issued for him.
Witness warned 911
A witness to the alleged impaired driving says the wreck could have been avoided.
Brandon Thompson says he followed the beige-colored pickup truck for several miles and reported the driver to 911—but law enforcement never responded.
“The driver of the truck was driving very slowly and swerving off the road and back across the yellow lines,” Thompson tells Now Habersham. He says the pickup nearly hit several other cars and a motorcycle head-on.
“I called 911 directly to advise [them of] the driver and his actions, along with providing vehicle details. The dispatcher only asked why I thought the driver may be drinking, completely avoiding the fact that he nearly hit the motorcycle while I was speaking to them,” says Thompson.
After the pickup truck driver pulled into a gas station, Thompson says he and his family drove on to their destination.
“They [911] took my info, and I explained to the dispatcher that the driver pulled into the MM Mart just before the Orchard [Road] turn off. That’s when the dispatcher advised he would have his units on the lookout if they go in that area.”
Approximately 15 minutes later, according to Thompson’s timeline, another 911 caller reported the wreck. Law enforcement detoured southbound traffic on GA 15/US 441 for over an hour as crews worked the scene. The highway reopened around 7:30 p.m.
911 responds
In response to Now Habersham’s inquiry about the call, Habersham County E-911 Director Lynn Smith says she reviewed the recording. According to Smith, the call came in at 6:05 p.m., 11 minutes before the wreck.
“The gentleman stated he was pulling into the M-Mart. We received all the information and issued the BOLO (Be On the Lookout) at 6:06 p.m. to law enforcement,” Smith says.
She says the 911 caller “wasn’t dismissed but was interrupted to get the location of the vehicle and tag number, which was needed before we could issue the BOLO.”
After reviewing the recording and how the 911 operator handled the call, Smith says, “I see nothing wrong with how the call was handled on our end. I can’t make law enforcement go to the call, but it was given out within one minute of getting the information. I’m not sure what else we could have done.”
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