One person was killed, and two others injured, in a Wednesday afternoon car accident caused by an male suspect fleeing a traffic stop in north Hall County.
Gainesville resident Brian Allen Hayes, 48, was identified as the man killed in the crash, which was allegedly caused by the driver of another vehicle who was fleeing from a traffic stop on Bethel Road.
"At approximately 1:30 PM, a Hall County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Bethel Road in the area of Northwoods Road," explained Sgt C.E. Parker with Georgia State Patrol Post 6 in Gainesville. "The suspect vehicle, a Chevrolet Equinox, was traveling west on Bethel Road and proceeded to accelerate rapidly as soon as the Deputy activated his emergency lights."
Parker, communicating via email on Wednesday night, said about a half mile later, the suspect, 30-year-old Gainesville resident Christopher Wayne Sosebee, lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a curve.
Sosebee apparently over-corrected, causing his vehicle to leave the roadway.
"The Equinox traveled...up a rocky embankment and then back down the embankment into the eastbound lane of Bethel Road," Parker said. "The Equinox then struck and landed on top of a Chevrolet 2500 work truck, before overturning and coming to rest in the westbound lane."
Hayes was identified as the driver of the work truck, and suffered a fatal injury in the collision. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Parker said Sosebee and a passenger also suffered injuries as a result of the crash.
"Mr. Sosebee was immediately taken into custody before being transported to a local hospital for treatment of injuries," he continued. "The front seat passenger of the Equinox, identified as Tiffany Lynn Franklin, 28, of Gainesville, was transported to a local hospital for treatment of serious injuries."
Sosebee faces a list of charges in the case:
Felony Fleeing or Attempting to Elude; Vehicular Homicide in the First Degree (a felony); Serious Injury by Vehicle (a felony); Reckless Driving; Driving Under the Influence of Drugs; Speeding; Failure to Maintain Lane; Tire Requirements; Window Requirements; Altered Tag; Expired Drivers License; Misdemeanor Obstruction of Law Enforcement.
The roadway was shut down for several hours - from roughly 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. - as the State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team investigated the scene, and Parker said other charges may be forthcoming as a result of their work.
As part of a parallel investigation, more details are expected to be released by the Hall County Sheriff's Office at a later time.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2020/7/922572/fatal-accident-in-north-hall-after-unnamed-suspect-flees-traffic-stop