State troopers are looking for the driver who they say caused a multi-vehicle wreck on Big A Road in Toccoa that sent ten people to the hospital. Six of the injured were children.
The Tuesday crash happened around 3 p.m. at the intersection of Big A Road/GA 17 Alt. and Rothell Road Extension. According to the Georgia State Patrol, the driver of an SUV failed to yield after stopping at the stop sign on Rothell and pulled into the path of a cement truck. Attempting to avoid the SUV, the cement truck driver swerved and struck a Chevy Malibu. The impact of that crash sent the Malibu into the southbound lanes, where it struck a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. The pickup then went into the northbound lanes and struck a Hyundai Santa Fe.
Troopers say the driver who caused the chain reaction wreck fled the scene. The only description of the vehicle that authorities have at this time is that it was a white SUV of an unknown make and model.
Paramedics airlifted the pickup truck driver to the hospital. 69-year-old Bruce Pruitt of Eastanollee was flown to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
A family of four traveling in the Malibu was injured. EMS transported them by ambulance to Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia. 33-year-old Elizabeth Phillips was driving the car. Joseph Phillips, age 35, Aiden Phillips, 5, and Charlie Philips, 3, were passengers in the vehicle.
Another family from Martin was traveling in the Hyundai Santa Fe. 27-year-old Tabetha Kawelo was transported to NEGMC in Gainesville for treatment. EMS transported the four children in her vehicle to Stephens County Hospital. They’re identified as Robert Kawelo, age 6, Caroline Kawelo, 3, Donnie Kawelo, 2, and Bryan Boreland, 6, of Stephens County.
Morgan Concrete owns the cement truck. The driver, 23-year-old Bailey Durden of Toccoa, was not injured.
Traffic was detoured for several hours as state troopers investigated the crash and emergency personnel cleared the scene.
