Hart County Crash Takes Life of Man Attempting to Avoid Road Safety Check

In news reported by our sister station WLHR in Lavonia, a routine traffic safety check in Hart County Friday has resulted in a death.

According to Georgia State Patrol Trooper Corporal Wiliam Jordan of GSP Post 52 Hartwell, it happened just after 10p Friday night.

Jordan said Troopers from Post 52 Hartwell along with deputies from the Hart County Sheriff’s Office were conducting a road check on Georgia 77 at Bio Church Road in Hart County.

“A white 2013 Nissan Frontier was traveling on Bio Church Road when it entered the road check. A Hart County deputy made contact with the driver and requested the driver’s license of the driver. When the driver could not provide a driver’s license, the driver was asked to pull into the gas station parking lot. As the vehicle pulled into the gas station it failed to stop and fled onto GA 77 South at a high rate of speed initiating a vehicle pursuit,” he said Saturday.

As a Trooper and two deputies caught up to the vehicle, the vehicle left the roadway to the right, struck a tree, and caught on fire.

The driver was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Comments on social media from people who live near the crash site said they thought they heard gunfire, however, Cpl. Jordan said that was not the case.

“There was no gunfire. The impact the vehicle made with the tree and the tires popping are the explosions everyone is referring to,” he said.

Jordan said the crash is still under investigation and the driver has not been positively identified at this time.

Further information will be released when it becomes available.

WNEG News will continue to follow this story and bring you more information as it becomes available.