Smyrna Man Killed in Cartersville Wreck

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By Kristal Dixon

A Smyrna man of Hispanic heritage was pronounced dead at the scene of a tragic multi-vehicle accident on Interstate 75 in Cartersville on Tuesday morning, police said.

According to Cartersville police, a Ford truck lost control and spun out north of the bridge over the Etowah River. That truck was struck by a Honda Accord. Both drivers got out of vehicles, which were situated in the left emergency lane and partially out into the left traffic lane of oncoming traffic, Cartersville police spokesperson Major Mark Camp said.

It is unknown where exactly the drivers were standing, Camp said. A third vehicle, in an attempt to avoid the accident, veers to the left and hits wires along the guardrail in the median. This vehicle does not hit anything else, Camp said.

A fourth car — a Honda Accord — also veers left to avoid the accident, but the guard rail wires ”are now low enough that the fourth car goes over the guardrail and strikes the driver of the car that was involved in the accident with the truck, knocking the driver across the median,” Camp added.

The driver of that first vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene.

An ambulance with Central Ambulance came upon the scene and stopped to help. A fifth car ended up striking the ambulance’s rear industrial bumper, causing minor damage. The ambulance accident was being treated as a separate accident and was worked by the Georgia State Patrol.

No charges or citations have been issued at this time.