A two-vehicle accident that impacted traffic on GA 365 near Hayes car dealership in Alto Saturday morning has resulted in a fatality.
The crash was reported around 9:40 a.m. on Jan. 18. Initial reports indicated one of the vehicles involved may have caught on fire after impact.
According to the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), the accident occurred in the northbound lanes of GA 365 at Wilbanks Road, just south of the car dealership. The two-vehicle accident involved a Toyota Prius and a Kia Forte.
The GSP report states that the driver of the Toyota Prius, James Purdy, 79, of Alto failed to yield after stopping at a stop sign and entered the roadway into the path of a Kia Forte driven by Matthew Bridges, 34, of Lula. The Prius was struck in the driver’s side.
Both drivers were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment. Purdy later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased by hospital staff.
The northbound lanes were blocked for nearly two hours while first responders investigated and cleared the scene. The highway was reopened at around 11:30 a.m.
Georgia State Patrol is investigating the accident.
