Georgia State troopers say a Madison County man was drunk when he drove head-on into a motorcycle and killed the driver on a rural Georgia highway.
Authorities arrested 50-year-old Ruben Cortez of Hull at the scene of the crash near Glenn Carrie Road on GA 8 in Madison County Saturday afternoon. Troopers say Cortez was driving north in a Toyota Tundra pickup when he crossed over the centerline into the southbound lane. The truck struck the rear of a Jeep Renegade.
“The Tundra continued northbound in the southbound lane of GA 8 and the right front of the Tundra struck the SV650 head-on,” says Cpl. J.R. Dean with GSP Post 32.
After impact, the biker, identified as 26-year-old Zachary Tristan Kiser of Athens, wound up on the east shoulder of the highway. The Tundra came to an uncontrolled rest on the north side of the highway with the motorcycle still underneath it.
Kiser died at the scene. No one else was injured in the crash.
Authorities identified Cortez’s passenger as 52-year-old Angel Edwin Conislla Diaz of Hull. 58-year-old Michael Timothy Ayers of Royston was driving the Renegade. Troopers identified his passenger and 52-year-old Michelle Renee Ayers, also of Royston.
Troopers charged Cortez with first-degree vehicular homicide, DUI, failure to maintain lane, driving without a license, possession of an open container, and driving on the wrong side of the roadway.
The Georgia State Patrol’s Troop B Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) is investigating the crash.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, there have been at least nine fatal automobile crashes on Georgia’s roads since the Memorial Day holiday travel period began at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 27.
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