A head-on collision on U.S. 129/Cleveland Highway in White County injured a mother and her two children. The wreck also injured the driver of the pickup truck who troopers say caused the crash.
The accident happened around 6 p.m. Thursday north of Marvin Miles Road just past the Hall/White County line. Georgia State Patrol Post 6 in Gainesville responded to the crash.
Troopers say Michael Anthony Parris, Jr., of Cleveland, was traveling north in a Chevrolet Silverado when he crossed the centerline. The truck struck a southbound Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by 38-year-old Candice Bennet Nanney of Clermont.
Nanney’s 14-year-old daughter, Katie, and her 2-year-old son, Cameron, were riding in the SUV with her. The teen girl was in the front passenger seat and sustained serious injuries to her lower extremities, according to troopers. Emergency crews transported her to Children’s Hospital of Atlanta.
The toddler was riding in the back seat and sustained a minor injury to his forehead. Both drivers suffered visible but non-life-threatening injuries. EMS transported all three of them to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
The state trooper investigating the crash noted he suspected Parris was tired and may have fallen asleep behind the wheel but was clear to note, “DUI is not a factor in this crash.” The trooper charged Parris with failure to maintain lane.
The accident shut down the highway for several hours during the Thursday evening commute.
This article has been corrected to reflect that Parris was driving the Silverado and Nanney was driving the Tahoe.
