According to the preliminary report, it appears a 36-year-old woman was traveling southbound on Ga. 247 when the accident occurred. For reasons that have yet to be determined, the woman’s vehicle crossed the center line into oncoming traffic before striking a northbound vehicle head-on. The Georgia State Patrol confirmed she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The driver and passenger of the northbound vehicle reportedly survived the crash and were taken to a local medical center for injuries described as non-life-threatening. Police say they are not planning to file charges against the driver of the northbound vehicle. They have not currently ruled out recklessness, negligence, or intoxication as possible factors leading to the southbound vehicle entering the wrong lane.
Since criminal charges are not filed posthumously, the injured parties will likely look to the civil justice system for reparations in this car accident case. Georgia law allows both individuals to file personal injury lawsuits against the deceased driver’s estate in civil court. If it can be proven that the deceased driver was negligent or reckless in a manner that contributed materially to their injuries in the crash, the court could choose to award monetary damages to one or both parties.
