A man and his wife were riding their motorcycles in Georgia when they were hit by an 18-year-old driver in a Ford F-150 — a full-sized pickup truck. The man, who is 58 years old, survived the accident with injuries. His wife, who was 50, passed away from hers.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, a second vehicle was involved. It was a Chevrolet Silverado, which is also a full-sized pickup truck. It hit one of the motorcycles after the initial crash, though which one it hit is not clear.
The woman was apparently killed on impact and was officially pronounced dead at the crash scene about an hour after the accident. The man was flown to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta after getting treatment on the scene from the Rockmart Fire Department and Redmond EMS.
The 18-year-old is now facing homicide by vehicle charges, which are felonies. Reportedly, he stopped at the stop sign at the intersection of Highway 101 and Highway 278, but he then failed to yield to the bikes. He was not hurt, and neither was the driver of the Silverado.
The motorcyclists were part of a larger group, but the others got separated and fell behind. When the group tried calling the victims’ cell phones and couldn’t get through, some of them turned around and found the accident.
Those who have been seriously injured or who have lost loved ones in accidents may be able to seek compensation via a civil lawsuit. Criminal charges can sometimes help to support the civil case by showing fault.
Source: The Polk County Standard Journal, “Wife killed, husband injured in overnight wreck in Rockmart area,” July 04, 2016