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By Editor Becky Watts
ZEBULON - According to the accident report from the Georgia State Patrol, a wreck occurred on Hwy 19 in Zebulon around 3:15 p.m. on Friday, April 1, 2016. It had been raining and the road was wet before a three vehicle accident occurred that involved the Christ Chapel school bus and two trucks on the road in front of Dollar General.
The Christ Chapel bus, a 1993 International 300 Series 38, was full of children and driven by Robert Parris. According to the report, one child had a reported that her legs were hurting. The bus sustained minor damage from being hit from behind.
Vehicle 2 was a 2001 Mercury Mountaineer driven by Billy Joe Kilgore of Thomaston who suffered some scratches to one of his arms and a scratch on his cheek when his vehicle was hit from behind and pushed into the Christ Chapel bus. The Mountaineer had to be towed.
Vehicle 3 was a 1992 Ford F Model Pickup Truck driven by 17 year old Matthew Perkins of Zebulon who complained of a slight concussion and pain to one of his knees as a result of the crash. The Ford truck also had to be towed due to damage from the wreck.
According to the report, all three vehicles were traveling south on Hwy 19. The Christ Chapel bus stopped as did Mr. Kilgore in his Mountaineer due to what witness Lee Campbell of Thomaston described as a “Tractor/Trailer” type truck that was occupying both southbound lanes of traffic on Hwy 19 to back into a driveway. Mr. Perkins’ truck struck the Mountaineer and pushed it into the back of the Christ Chapel bus. The witness was in front of the Christ Chapel bus but was not involved in the accident. None of the persons involved in this accident were transported by ambulance.
TFC3 Don Stewart advised by phone that the Tractor/Trailer type vehicle that was backing into the driveway was not on the scene of the accident when he arrived and could not be questioned about the wreck. He also stated that while some of the burden might be on this driver, the burden ultimately rested with Mr. Perkins who was following too closely behind the vehicles in front of him. Mr. Perkins was cited for following too closely.
Photos courtesy of Tiffiny Kilgore.
