State patrol investigating two deadly weekend crashes in Middle Georgia

Specialized Collision Reconstruction Teams for the Georgia State Patrol are investigating two fatal crashes in Middle Georgia.

Keith Taylor, 57, of Sylvania, was killed in a four-vehicle crash in the westbound lanes of I-16 near Ga 26 at Mile Post 35 at 11:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the GSP.

A 2019 Toyota Corolla driven by Dakota James Crofutt, 23, Warner Robins, hit the rear end of a trailer of a 2008 Cadillac Escalade driven by Taylor, according to the GSP.

The impact caused the Escalade to spin clockwise and its trailer to detach and come to rest in the center median of the interstate, the GSP said. The car was then hit by a 2018 Nissan Titan, which caused the Escalade to flip over and land in the north emergency lane against a guardrail.

Another vehicle struck Taylor, who was outside of the Escalade. The driver did not stop.

“At this point, it’s unclear if (Taylor) was ejected from his vehicle after the collision or if he had exited his vehicle and was standing in the roadway when he was struck,” the GSP said.

Meanwhile, the Toyota Corolla had traveled onto the north shoulder of the interstate. It’s driver, Crofutt, was charged with driving under the influence, a misdemeanor, according to the GSP.

The crash shut down the interstate for hours.

Police chase of four-wheeler ends in fatal crash

In the other fatal crash, Amie Chambers, 34, of Milledgeville, and another person, were in a Yamaha Raptor 700 four-wheeler being pursued by a Hancock County sheriff’s deputy Friday night.

The four-wheeler went off the road when its driver attempted to make a sharp turn onto Pumping Station Road from St. Mark Church Road just before 11 p.m., the GSP said.

“The four-wheeler struck an embankment, guy wire and overturned — ejecting both the driver and passenger,” the GSP said. “It is unclear at this time who was the driver and who was the passenger at the time of the pursuit and crash.”

Chambers was airlifted to the Augusta Medical Center, where she died Sunday, the GSP said. The other person in the four-wheeler had minor injuries.

The deputy’s cruiser also went off the road and a hit tree. The deputy, Ricky Benford, was treated and released at the Medical Center, Navicent Health, according to the GSP.