2-year-old dies in front seat after SUV slides into tractor trailer in I-75 traffic

A Waycross father and his young daughter were headed north on Interstate 75 late Thursday when traffic slowed after several vehicles collided in Perry.

The man’s Chevrolet Yukon slammed into the back of a tractor trailer, killing the 2-year-old in the front seat, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

“The driver of the SUV could not stop in time,” said Sgt. Robbie Roberson, of the Perry post. “He slid on wet pavement.”

It had been raining when multiple vehicles collided near mile marker 136 near Sam Nunn Boulevard just before midnight Thursday.

Traffic backed up for a couple of miles and the Yukon hit the Volvo truck near mile marker 134, not far from the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter.

The driver had swerved left and the passenger side of the SUV crashed into the back of the truck.

Houston County Coroner Danny Galpin pronounced the little girl dead at the scene just after 1 a.m. Friday.

“Daddy walked away with just a few scratches,” Galpin said.

Roberson said the initial report indicates there was a child seat in the car, but it is not yet known if she was properly restrained.

“It’s recommended that children under 13 ride in the backseat,” Roberson said.

Galpin said the car was so damaged, he couldn’t tell if there was a car seat.

“As bad as the car was messed up, I’m not sure she would have done any better in the back seat,” Galpin said.

The girl’s name was not immediately released because they have family in Houston County that might not have been notified.

The Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is on the way to Perry to investigate the fatal wreck.

Multiple incidents, including the deadly crash near Perry, backed up traffic on I-17 north in Houston County.

The Georgia State Patrol reopened all northbound lanes at about 3 a.m. Friday after investigating the two collisions between mile markers 136 and 134.

Just before midnight, several vehicles collided approaching Sam Nunn Boulevard.

Serious injuries were reported, but no further information was immediately available about the condition of the victims.

Before 9 p.m. Thursday, Bibb County had its share of traffic troubles after a tractor trailer jack-knifed and went into a ditch on I-75 North at the I-16 split, which is undergoing a massive transformation.

All exit lanes were shut down in the aftermath of that crash, but cleared by 1 a.m.

At around 6 p.m., another 18-wheeler caught fire near Bass Road and exit 172 on Interstate 75 north, blocking the right lane and the exit for more than an hour.

This story was originally published August 4, 2017 at 9:18 AM with the headline "2-year-old dies in front seat after SUV slides into tractor trailer in I-75 traffic."