Driver 'very lucky' after SUV's passenger side ripped off in Jones County crash

A sports utility vehicle crashed near a train track on Ga. 49 in Jones County on Tuesday afternoon sending its driver to the hospital.

The single-vehicle crash near the intersection of Garrison Road and Ga. 49 happened about 2:15 p.m., said Jones County sheriff's Deputy Barron Hall, who worked the crash.

The driver ran off the road and hit a steep culvert pipe, which propelled the vehicle almost directly next to the track, Hall said. Railroad officials were notified to halt any potential train traffic until the accident was cleared.

"At this point right now, I can't tell if the (SUV) flipped our not," Hall said. "It may have gone on its side and ripped off the whole passenger side.

"There was really nothing there on the passenger side. The floorboard and everything, it was gone ... The passenger side door was missing," Hall said.

Firefighters and emergency medical workers went through the passenger side to get the driver out. He had what appeared to be only minor bumps and bruises, but was taken to a hospital to be checked out, Hall said.

"He was very lucky," Hall said.

The driver was the sole occupant in the vehicle.

This story was originally published April 3, 2018 at 3:26 PM with the headline "Driver 'very lucky' after SUV's passenger side ripped off in Jones County crash."