FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — GA-400 was shut down in both directions Friday night after a multi-vehicle crash involving a tractor trailer killed one person in Forsyth County.
The driver of the tractor trailer, 61-year-old Charles Wilkins, of Cumming, was charged with first degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, too fast for conditions and following too close and is currently being held on no bond, Forsyth County Sheriff's Office stated.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department said they were dispatched to the intersection of GA-400 and State Road 369 around 8:30 p.m. in response to a multi-vehicle collision. After arriving on-scene, they noticed five cars had been involved in the incident, in addition to the tractor trailer.
Deputies said four vehicles were stopped in the northbound lane near exit 17 when a loaded tractor trailer approached the stopped vehicles in the left northbound lane at an "unreasonable" high rate of speed for the "current traffic conditions and construction zone."
Wilkins did not stop and collided with the rear of one of the stopped cars at a high rate of speed causing a chain reaction, the sheriff's office stated. The tractor trailer, in addition to the car, crossed over in the middle of the intersection where another car was travelling southbound through a green light. The tractor-trailer collided with the southbound car's front side door where the driver, 65-year-old James Wright, of Cumming, was pronounced dead on the scene, officials said.
After Wilkins was taken to the emergency room and discharged, deputies said he was then arrested and charged. The crash is still under investigation and additional charges could be added, authorities noted.
All other drivers were taken to local hospitals with non-life threatening injuries, according to a statement.
Northbound traffic was diverted onto exit 17 in Cumming and southbound traffic was diverted onto Browns Bridge Road, Forsyth County Sheriff said.