Traffic is flowing again in south Habersham after an accident involving a family sedan and tanker truck on GA-365 South at Wilbanks Road.
The crash happened around 9:15 Wednesday morning near the Dairy Queen in Alto. Tonya Eyvette Wilkes, 57, of Alto, was driving a 2010 Volvo S80 sedan in the north turn lane when she attempted to turn left and cross the southbound lanes.
“While attempting to turn, Wilkes failed to yield,” says Sergeant First Class Chad Johnson of Georgia State Patrol Post 7 Toccoa, who investigated the crash. She ran into the path of a 1997 Kenworth Tanker towing a trailer loaded with a small excavator driven by Johnny Jacob Cochran, 24, of Cleveland.
Cochran steered right in an attempt to avoid a collision but was unable to do so, says Trooper Johnson. The tanker truck struck the Volvo on the right front side with its left front end.
After the initial impact, the Volvo rotated and traveled back across the southbound lanes. The car came to a rest facing south, partially in the median and roadway. The truck ran off the roadway, struck a road sign, and began to jackknife. The Kenworth then overturned.
Habersham EMS transported Wilkes and a 14-year-old passenger in the truck, identified as Jesse Brown, to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. They were stable and appeared to have minor injuries, according to emergency officials.
Cochran had visible injuries but was not transported for treatment, SFC Johnson says.
Wilkes was charged with failure to yield while turning left.
The accident shut down GA-365 South at the intersection of Wilbanks Road, and officials rerouted traffic for approximately three hours.
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