Lunch Blamed for Lunchtime Accident on Hwy 17 in Lavonia

By WLHR

While health officials say eating on the go is bad for your digestive system, two people in a pickup truck on Highway 17 in Lavonia found out it can also be bad for your general health as well as your vehicle.

The result of a driver eating while behind the wheel was an accident on Tuesday at lunchtime in which the pickup truck hit a curb, then clipped a utility pole in half, causing the truck to roll over on its side in the middle of Highway 17.

Authorities responded to the call about noon.

Responding were the Lavonia Police Department, the Lavonia Fire Department, EMS, Georgia State Patrol troopers and utilities crews from Georgia Power.

According to Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle, the two subjects were traveling South on Jones Street when the driver was distracted while trying to eat behind the wheel.

Neither the driver nor the passenger were seriously hurt and both denied being injured in the wreck.

Emergency workers had the wreck cleared in about an hour.

Some businesses in downtown Lavonia lost power while utility crews replaced the pole.

The power was restored around 2:30 p.m.

Attempts to obtain information from the Georgia State Patrol related to charges against the driver were not successful.