Demorest wreck results in broken jaw of 11-year-old girl
By Rob Moore, AccessWDUN
A Tuesday-afternoon wreck in downtown Demorest left a young girl seriously injured and the driver facing citations from the Georgia State Patrol.
The wreck happened just after 4 p.m. on Ga. 385 (Central Avenue) just before Georgia Street, according to Trooper 1st Class Jesse Lewis of GSP Post 7 in Toccoa.
A 2000 Ford Focus driven by Kathaleena Phosai, 26, of Cornelia was traveling south on Central Avenue and struck the rear of a 1988 Ford rollback wrecker driven by James Nation, 40, of Demorest, that was stopped due to the traffic signal at Georgia Street, Lewis said.
Phosai was taken by ambulance to Habersham Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.
An 11-year-old backseat passenger in Phosai’s car, whose name GSP is withholding at this time, was unrestrained and suffered an obvious broken jaw in the collision, Lewis said. She was flown to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Scottish Rite by Gainesville-based AirLife Georgia 2. Lewis termed her injury as serious.
A 6-month-old girl, who was properly restrained in a rear-facing child seat in Phosai’s car, was not hurt.
Phosai “stated she observed she had a green light but did not see Vehicle 2 [the rollback truck] stopped due to the sun,” Lewis said.
Phosai was cited for following too closely and for a seatbelt violation for age 8 years and older, Lewis said.