A Hall County Sheriff's Deputy was hospitalized Saturday after being struck in the head by an unknown piece of debris during a traffic accident.
The officer, identified by the State Patrol as "Sgt. Matt Venable," was apparently on foot in the center turn lane of Browns Bridge Road when the accident occured.
Trooper Luke Mize with the Georgia State Patrol said the incident started with a southward-facing Ford F-550, which was towing a utility trailer, straddling the turn lane and southbound left lane of the roadway as a second vehicle approached.
According to the timeline provided by authorities, at this time Sgt. Venable was standing in the turn lane speaking with the driver of the F-550.
"Vehicle 2 struck the rear of vehicle 1’s trailer with it’s front end," he said. "The trailer rotated counter-clockwise and came to a rest with the front end of the trailer in the northbound left lane."
The impact sent an unknown piece of debris flying through the air, at which point Sgt. Venable was struck in the head.
Mize said a third vehicle had been approaching in the northbound lanes when the inital collision occurred. The driver was unable to stop in time and eventually struck the trailer that had been spun into the northbound lanes.
Sgt. Venable was transported from the scene to Northeast Georgia Medical Center with what Mize described as non-life-threatening injuries.
A passenger in the backseat of the second vehicle, 48-year-old Gabriela Hernandez- Arza, also suffered a head injury and was transported from the scene.
Authorities shared information related to the other individuals who were involved inthe collisions, each of whom apparently walked away unscathed:
- Marietta resident Dario Triana, 21; driver of vehicle 1
- Gainesville resident Mario Rodriguez Castro, 30; driver of vehicle 2
- Gainesville resident Gabrie Torres De Arellano, 34; driver of vehicle 3.
The State Patrol did not share details explaining the reason for the initial conversation between Sgt. Venable and Dario Triana. No word was given indicating whether any charges would be pursued as a result of the incident.
