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Commuter Van Wreck Kills 3
(WSB Radio) -- A rollover crash in Dekalb County killed three passengers in a Southern Company commuter van and sends six others to the hospital.
The accident, which involved the van and a Dodge Stratus, happened around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 78 near Hugh Howell Road.
All the victims were Georgia Power employees. Three survivors are being treated at Grady Hospital, two others were airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center and another was taken by ambulance to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville.
No names have been released and charges are pending against the driver of the car. Witnesses told accident investigators the Stratus clipped the back end of the van as the driver attempted to make a lane change.
The wreck shutdown eastbound lanes of the highway between Memorial Drive and Mountain Industrial Boulevard until 8 p.m. Tuesday.
What others are saying
- SeatbeltsI am so sorry for the loss the families, both personal and Georgia Power, are enduring. The speculation of the seatbelts is something all commuters could benefit. I too ride a van to work and only two of us..besides the driver...wear our seatbelts. These are wonderful, articulate people who in their own cars demand people wear seatbelts but when they get in this van they seem to think they are safe without them. I have mentioned the safety issues numerous times and no one listens!! Maybe this will open their eyes about the general safety of these vehicles.
- SeatbeltsAll the speculation about seatbelts has made me sick. As a co-worker of these folks, I know that they were responsible and wore their seatbelts regularly. The nature of the horrific crash is what caused their deaths and the aggressive driving of the Dodge.
God bless the victims and their families. Please know your family at Georgia Power is thinking of you - 78 TrafficI knew Rocky and he was a very responsible person. I travel the same route daily, and it's very common to see aggressive drivers who refuse to drive the speed limit or the speed of the traffic flow. They weave in and out of traffic or drive down the emergency lane just to get a few car links ahead. What, to get home 5 minutes earlier. That's not worth risking the lives of innocent, responsible citizens. Watch HWY 78 Westbound during rush hour, where 78 exits to I-285. You'll see people every single morning ride the left lane as if exiting to Augusta, only to swerve in front of traffic heading North. There was no reason for that person to clip the rear of that van. He was obviously following too close to begin with. I hope he is charged, and I hope the State Patrol will do what DeKalb County Police fail to do... Start removing agressive drivers from the road.
- VictimsAs I understand, all passengers are required to wear seatbelts for our company van pools (even though I've never been thrilled with the quality of the belts). Whether they all had them on, I'm not sure.
Victims names are Robert (Rocky) Clinton, Cindy Fitzgerald, and Ollie Stephens.
I just saw Rocky yesterday. He was a great guy. My thoughts and prayers go out to each of the families. - the driver of the car was probably going around some jerk doin 20 miles under the speed limit in the far left lane
- van driversi drove a van for a year and when i was told i was resposable for all the passagers i had to quit the van no one would were ther seat belts so if they died and the others live the ones that live were wearing they belts think you in a van at 70 miles per hour and you are laying down in the van with no belt were you going to end up when the (s) hits the fan, he might have hit the van but i believe it not his fault for vehical homicide maybe now the cops will checks these van for seat belts heck eveyone sees them in there sleeping (its not amtrak)
- Commuter Van WreckWonder if the drive of the dodge stratus was on the phone?
- WrecksWho causes all the wrecks in the States? That's right, four wheelers.
- van crashaggresive driving again! As a defense measure against such accidents are seatbelts. Wonder how many were wearing them? Total lack on the police's fault for not reining in bad drivers.
- Van WreckGod Bless the famlies and friends of the Southern van victims. Such a tradegy is devasting and hard to understand. Southern / GPC employees have received the wonderful benefits of this program for years in an effort to help employees and save on fuel consumption and traffic congestion.
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