Terry Richards
The Valdosta Daily Times, Ga.
(TNS)
May 31—VALDOSTA — Two people were injured when a car took a flying leap over a tow truck May 24 in Lowndes County, Georgia.
At about 11:20 a.m., a rollback tow truck was parked in the left lane of U.S. 84 near the Brooks County line with its lights flashing, according to a Georgia State Patrol statement.
The rollback was helping clear the scene of an earlier wreck and was surrounded by law enforcement vehicles.
Suddenly, a car coming up in the lane behind the rollback struck the truck and went up its ramps, vaulting over the tow truck about 120 feet before hitting another car on its way down, the state patrol said.
The driver of the airborne car — described as a 21-year-old Tallahassee, Florida woman — was seriously injured and taken to South Georgia Medical Center, while a passenger in her car — a 30-year-old Hahira man — received minor injuries, authorities said.
A Lowndes County deputy was hit by flying debris but was not seriously hurt, Sheriff Ashley Paulk said.
The accident was caught on a deputy's bodycam "and we've gotten calls from around the world asking for the video," Paulk said.
Authorities told the media there was an empty car seat in the rear of the vehicle but initially there was a search of the area to make sure an infant had not been ejected before responders learned there was no child in the car at the time of the accident.
A Georgia law, commonly known as the the "move over law," requires motorists to shift lanes when approaching emergency responders along the roadway.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Terry Richards is the senior reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times.
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