The Georgia State Patrol has identified the man who was struck and killed by a vehicle on the side of Highway 441 near Homer as 37-year-old Heriberto Ramon Racho of Athens.
Racho died after stopping on the shoulder of the road to adjust the load in a utility trailer he was towing. While outside his vehicle, another driver ran off the highway and struck him and the trailer. Troopers identified that driver as 38-year-old Jessica McNew of Clarkesville.
The fatal crash happened shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday on GA 15/U.S. 441 North near McCoy Bridge Road in Banks County.
Racho died at the scene. Medics transported McNew to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment of her injuries.
The state patrol’s Specialized Crash Reconstruction Team is assisting GSP Post 6 in Gainesville with its investigation. Post 6 commander SFC David Rathel says charges are pending.
The crash shut down the section of the highway near the crash site for several hours. The road reopened around 8 p.m. Thursday.
