Fatality in GA. 365 wreck identified as retired White County fire captain, business owner

Multi-vehicle wreck on GA. 365 sends multiple people to the hospital. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)

J.B. Ramey, a retired 84-year-old White County Fire Department captain, died over the weekend from injuries sustained in an Oct. 14 wreck on GA. 365.

Ramey died at 7:40 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20.

Ramey, owner of a Cleveland-based business called Ramey Motors, was among six people sent to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville after a multi-vehicle wreck that shutdown north and southbound lanes of GA. 365 for over two hours.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time,” Habersham County Coroner Kasey McEntire said.

Barrett Funeral Home of Cleveland will be in charge of arrangements.

The wreck earlier this month involving four vehicles occurred after a Ford F-150 “failed to yield while turning left from GA 365 onto Duncan Bridge Road,” according to the Georgia State Patrol.

At least two people were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville with non-life-threatening injuries. One person was airlifted by medical helicopter with life-threatening injuries.

A multi-vehicle wreck on GA. 365 sent six people to the hospital Monday, Oct. 14. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)
Multi-vehicle wreck on GA. 365 shuts down north and southbound lanes of traffic. (Daniel Purcell/Now Habersham)

An initial summary released by GSP states the vehicle was northbound on GA 365 in the left turning lane when the driver traveled into the path of a Hyundai Sonata, which was “traveling south on GA 365 in the right lane.”

Upon impact, the Ford F-150 overturned onto its top. The southbound Sonata traveled onto a concrete barrier and struck a crosswalk signal sign.

The Sonata then traveled into the right turn lane of Duncan Bridge Road and struck the front driver side of a Kia Optima, which was stationary in the right turn lane on Duncan Bridge.

The Sonata proceeded to travel off the right shoulder of Duncan Bridge Road and struck a guardrail. The Optima rotated clockwise, traveled off the right shoulder of Duncan Bridge Road and struck a guardrail. 

The impact from the southbound vehicle sent debris into the right turn lane of Duncan Bridge Road, striking the rear of a Mercedes Benz, according to GSP.

Southbound traffic was backed up for miles after the highway was closed at the crash site. The road reopened at 7:38 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2024. (Daniel Purcell/NowHabersham.com)

The highway reopened at 7:40 p.m. after crews cleared the wreckage and state troopers investigated the initial site of the accident.

Authorities have not released names of the other people involved.