NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. — Five people are dead and another is critically injured following a head-on collision along a busy Newton County highway Saturday afternoon, deputies said.
Newton County Sheriff's Office said a pick-up truck and a van collided on State Route 142, just north of Adams Circle, in Covington after 3 p.m.. The five people who died were all in the same vehicle, deputies said. And they were dead on the scene.
Sgt. Jack Redlinger with the Newton County Sheriff's Office said it's one of the deadliest accidents he's ever responded to.
"We haven't had a deadly accident like this, with five occupants," Redlinger said. "It's been pretty devastating to everybody on the scene."
Redlinger said no children were in either vehicle.
The driver of the other vehicle was rushed to Piedmont Newton Hospital in critical condition, according to deputies.
All lanes of State Route 142 in Newton County were blocked, for hours, in both directions. Officials urged drivers to take alternate routes at the time, but the scene has now been cleared and the roadways have reopened.
The identities of the victims are not yet known. Redlinger said the accident is still under investigation, but explained the rainy weather Saturday could have played a factor. No names will be released until the next of kin has been notified.
Editor's note: A photograph that was briefly used in the story earlier was from a different incident.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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