Post 37 of the Georgia State Patrol recently responded to an accident on State Route 11 that involved the seventh fatality for the period of March 1 through March 21. The wreck occurred when an SUV traveling eastbound was rounding a curve on the road and the driver, a 40-year-old resident of Sautee Nacoochee, crossed into the westbound lane in the curve. She continued into the westbound shoulder before correcting and hitting a 53-year-old bicyclist.
An officer with the GSP reported that the crash instantly killed the bicyclist, who was a 53-year-old pharmacist residing in Cumming. Following the collision, the SUV driver moved into the eastbound shoulder and rolled over after striking an embankment. GSP reported pending violations related to the act of negligence, and they are awaiting results of drug and alcohol blood tests. A specialized collision reconstruction team report is expected.
The GSP officer referred to an average fatality rate of one per six months for the tri-county area that includes Dawson, Forsyth and Lumpkin counties. The officer requested drivers to slow down and stay alert with special emphasis on avoiding the use of cell phones while driving. Drivers should “pull off to the side of the road” for conducting cell phone calls and texting.
The victim in this case was an active member of her community who had worked with a local food pantry, “Meals on Wheels” and the Methodist Women’s Club. A single act of negligence by a driver cost her life and may have caused a great deal of suffering among her family and friends. Her family may be able to seek compensation for their pain and suffering with the assistance of a wrongful death attorney.
Source: Cumming Patch, “Local Pharmacist Struck and Killed While Riding Bicycle,” Liz Kennedy, March 21, 2013