A driver who fled from the scene of an accident early Wednesday morning in Demorest remains at large.
The Georgia State Patrol says 46-year-old Charles Eric Chambers of Cleveland was driving east on GA 115 in a 2007 Ford Mustang when he crossed the center line. The car struck the front left side of a westbound 2004 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 70-year-old Julian Thayer of Clarkesville.
After impact, the truck overturned in a ditch on Highway 115 west of Habersham Mills Road.
Both drivers were injured. Chambers fled the scene on foot. Habersham County Sheriff’s deputies and K9 units searched for him for several hours near Haywood Hills subdivision. They were unable to find him.
As of 3 p.m. Wednesday, Chambers remained at large. He’s charged with leaving the scene, failure to maintain lane, driving on a suspended license, no insurance, and no seat belt.
Habersham EMS transported Thayer to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
The wreck and manhunt shut down Highway 115 between Habersham Mills Road and Haywood Hills subdivision for two hours, disrupting morning traffic.
“As soon as we received word about the road closure, we began contacting all buses that would be affected,” says Habersham County Schools Transportation Director Stephanie Walker. “We did have one bus route that runs through the middle of that area. It was the only one truly affected.”
Other traffic was detoured around the scene. Law enforcement reopened the road at 7:20 a.m.
Officials have not indicated why Chambers may have fled. Residents near the search area expressed concern for their safety but the sheriff’s office says they have no reason to believe Chambers poses any kind of a public threat.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office at 706-839-0500.
