Fatal wreck on 129 in GA, near TWO, anyone know details?

[servicerifle]

I went by a fatal motorcycle wreck on 129 today, man I got a huge lump in my throat about that.  I saw a full faced helmet on the street, but I don't know if it was the wrecked rider's helmet or someone else's.  Does anyone know the details about this wreck?  It was on a long straight, I thought that was weird.

RIP    

[jeremy556]

Yesterday or today? I know about a crash on HWY60 just south of TWO yesterday. It was a fatality involving an R1 and a pickup truck, no other details are yet confirmed.

[servicerifle]

Today.

[jeremy556]

Today.

Haven't heard about it then, I will post back with any info from the local boards.

Which road was it on? GA60 is the road that runs through Suches and TWO is on. US129 is a ways east going over Blood Mountain and the major landmark in the area there is Turners Corner.

[servicerifle]

Dude, I was just there, I know where the roads are.  It was on 129.   I said NEAR TWO, not on 60.  You take 180 from TWO over to 129, it was just north if that, IIRC.

[jeremy556]

OK found some details.

It was a fatality, multiple people saw the coroner and body bag. It is speculated that a GSP officer turned left into the path of the (presumably speeding) motorcycle and caused a collision. Reported by multiple witnesses, the GSP car was turned left into the oncoming lane with no where to turn left into, with a broken windshield and front end damage.

[servicerifle]

When I went by, the ambulance had not gotten there yet.  There were two GSP cars in the CENTER of the road, slightly offset, but both inline with the direction of travel for the road, not across it.  

[jeremy556]

Just going off what I read on the local boards, which are less than 100% reliable, hence the "speculated" and "presumably." They tend to be a bit one sided and blow things out of proportion.

[Stixx]

I was at TWO all day Friday Saturday and came up later Sunday afternoon and there were at least three accidents involving Motorcycles on Saturday. One right in front of TWO with a TRuck and Bike and no one even there on site knew what the details were. The enforcement was not forthcoming at all . Kinda wierd actually. The pickup had a dent in the driver door and no mirrors and it was a new HD chevy truck beige in color. Not sure of any other details other than the ambulace was there a long time and two fire trucks and then there was a chopper that flew over towards 129 not long after than and later in the PM someone in one of the last tril runs for the KTM " E xperience" even managed to write off a 23ooo dollar KTM sportbike and broke his collar bone.

Far as I know no one was hurt on a KTM bike during the three day event, other that the one I just mentioned.

There were a LOT of bikes in the area though and everyone was riding hard and stuff happens.

Several door cars tried to take me out at various places in my ride, it was just another day in paradise and you gotta know they will take you out if you aren't vigil.

It alwasy makes me uneasy when the sirens come by and this weekend was no different . You know someone's day is ruined if not worse.

[Stixx]

I took this quick shot on Saturday right after the wreck .

[gruney1]

Here's a link to the local newspaper article:
http://www.thedahloneganugget.com/articles/2008/10/08/news/05%20accident.txt



 

[Mach VIII]

Wow, two fatalities there that weekend.  I never heard about either and I was even camping AT TWO that very weekend.  We (there were 3 of us from Charlotte) had very clear riding that weekend and didn't see any incidents or high presence of police.  I did get to see the wadded RC8 being drug up the embankment (then again later in the back of the truck) and later saw the dude that wrecked it with his arm/shoulder in a sling.  I got to ride a Superduke on a demo ride on Sunday morning too, but never heard anyone mention any fatal wrecks.

Gotta wonder WTF the state trooper was doing.  What a shame though, regardless of how the accidents happened.

[gruney1]

UPDATE:
Trooper not indicted in biker's death
By Matt Aiken
Published: Wednesday, May 27, 2009 10:08 AM EDT
A Lumpkin County Grand Jury has ruled that Georgia State Patrol Trooper John Shannon Carroll will not face charges for his involvement in the highway death of a 57-year-old Blairsville resident.

Donald Teague was thrown from his motorcycle last October when Carroll pulled a U-turn into his lane while attempting to pursue a speeder on a winding mountainous stretch of Highway 129.

Teague, who was reportedly on the way home from a friend's funeral, died on the scene.

Last week, the 20 member jury issued a “no bill” on the charges of second degree homicide by a vehicle and improper U-turn.

This decision caps a lengthy investigation by the Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT).

“These are very detailed reports,” said district attorney for the Enotah Judicial Circuit Stan Gunter. “They're a reconstruction of the accident to give us a good idea of what happened. That's what took so long and that's why they took the warrants.”

Gunter said he initially ruled out the possibility of felony charges against Carroll after studying the evidence presented to him through the report. As a result, the case wound up before the Grand Jury as a matter of protocol.

“I did not view the actions of the trooper as being reckless in his part which would qualify it as a felony,” he said. “He was doing his job. He turned on his lights. He made the U-turn. He just didn't see the individual. It's just an accident that happened but it was a violation that he crossed the center line. And that makes it a misdemeanor vehicular homicide and that sends it to the grand jury.”

Gunter said a toxicology report showed that Teague was just above the legal limit at the time of the accident as well.

“It showed a level of intoxication on the part of the victim, that was part of the conclusion to the SCRT team report,” he said. “And one of the witnesses behind the victim in the case said that he never hit his breaks prior to running into the trooper.”

Last Monday's hearing took on a different twist from most grand jury cases in that Carroll was allowed to sit in on some of the proceedings.

“Under Georgia law, a law enforcement officer is given the right to come in and listen to testimony to the grand jury and is also given the right to make a statement to the grand jury,” said Gunter.

Carroll did reportedly address the jury for a short time during the hearing.

“It was a brief statement, but he did make a statement,” said Gunter.

While this decision brings the matter to a close in the criminal courts, a civil case against the Georgia Department of Public Safety should soon be filled in Lumpkin County by W. Newton Moore.

The Gainesville lawyer, who is representing the son and daughter of Teague, is refuting the findings of the toxicology report and says the accident was all but unavoidable.

“Our experts are not impressed with method and manner of the toxicology test,” he said. “ ... But it had nothing to do with this incident. It's not relevant in this case. There was nothing Mr. Teague could do to avoid what Trooper Carroll did. ... We seek justice in the civil courts for the loss of Mr. Teague's life and we think we will find it.”

[Matt98VFR]

"Gunter said a toxicology report showed that Teague was just above the legal limit at the time of the accident as well."

“It showed a level of intoxication on the part of the victim, that was part of the conclusion to the SCRT team report,” he said. “And one of the witnesses behind the victim in the case said that he never hit his breaks prior to running into the trooper"

"just above", "a level of", "part of the conclusion", "never hit his breaks"....wow! Sounds like lawyer-speak.

What was his level exactly?? .... " never hit his breaks"  129 has multiple blind curves. Could this mean something to the motorist who has never driven the road? If the trooper cut him off, he cut him off.

Wasn't this guy riding a Harley? Most, if not all Harleys aren't very leanable. It takes very little lean to drag parts.  I highly doubt he was in the wrong, ( as in breaking speed limit) -that's why they went after blood alcohol level no matter if .00001 over for example.

"I did not view the actions of the trooper as being reckless in his part which would qualify it as a felony,” he said. “He was doing his job. He turned on his lights. He made the U-turn. He just didn't see the individual. "

"He was doing his job", " He turned on his lights" ...yeah, ...that makes it unreckless!

Don't mean to rant and rave, but having worked in a level one trauma center for over ten years, this pisses me off. Obvious lesson: Don't drink, even if it REALLY is one or two. A lot of E.R.'s won't do a blood alcohol on survivers for fear of losing insurance reimbursement. But if the patient is deceased, the E.R. staff has little recourse, and usually Law Enforcement gets their way.

This is a sure thing, if this gentleman was completely dry, the officer wouldn't have a leg to stand on, and the officer's lawyer would less likely be saying " He just didn't see the individual. It's just an accident..."

...(Like being in the military, even if you were 100% in the right, if it's alcohol-related, you're f*cked!)

[Stray Cat]

The fact that he did this to try and catch a "speeder" is what is really disturbing. I think that this needed to be explored a little more. If the jury had heard that the alleged speeder was just sighted, caught on RADAR or LIDAR, if the officer was moving at the time, or stationary, all could come into play. LEO's can get a little single minded when it comes to traffic enforcment, as we have seen. It also sounds like the defense did a good job of playing the alcohol card.
I'm surprised that there wasn't any video evidence of the collision. Or if there was it wasn't mentioned.

[servicerifle]

Having been the original poster of this, and having seen the accident site, I can add to this.

The accident happened on a relatively long straight.  So straight that I recall thinking "how did someone wreck here?" when I went by.  There is good visibility for a considerable distance where this happened.  Considering that, we have two additional thoughts:

1) there was likely enough distance/time for the motorcyclist to prevent his own demise.
2) The trooper probably had enough visibility of the traffic behind him to not make such a move.

The fact that the rider had alcohol in his system dooms him, despite the fact that the officer's move was probably what did him in.

[Stixx]

From what I have read above so far it was indeed a not so funny comedy of errors. I can see if a LEO turns on his light he is no longer subject to laws about yellow lines or U turns as it is the Publics responsibily to give way in all cases to allow his persuit . Personally I think high speed persuit is obsolete, That is why they have mulitple LEO patrols and roadblocks are far more effective than HSchases and not nearly as lethal. Rarely do high speed chase NOT end in tragedy from what I've seen on tv.

That said, The guy on the bike, if he had even one drink, he is asking for it. I no longer take even one drink if I'm going to ride. It just don't pay. I want 110% of my facilities when I'm on a scoot these days.
I'm not being prudish here and I realize the HD crowd is all about the drinking not so much the riding but that doesn't justify it in my view.

So what do you do. Well you chalk it up to what really happened which was an unfortunate accident.
When that deer came out of nowhere in broad daylight middle of the day on 365 and took out a HD full dresser which led to the rider being life flighted out of there who was a fault. Pondering that as I headed up into north GA last week , keeping a keen eye for the woods and any sudden flash of beige headed my way.

We engage in a dangerous enterprise doint this thing we love. Training Training and more Training is no doubt what we need. Lose the loud pipes make bikes responsive and teach we riders how to stop on a dime. The bikes can do it and ABS makes it even possible now, but our brains. Hmm not so good me thinks.  

[lemosley01]

I'm normally on the side of the police, but wow. Just WOW. The guy may have been legally drunk, but we don't know if that played ANY part. For all we know, he was 50 feet of the left side of the GHP vehicle, and the cop slammed on his breaks and did a hard left. That wouldn't be enough time for ANYONE to react.

Legally drunk doesn't always mean 'at fault'. If I'm trashed, stopped at a red light waiting for it to change and someone running from the police rear ends me, the fact I am drunk was not a factor in the crash.

The officer was allowed to sit in on the Grand Jury who was debating his own case? He was allowed to make a statement?

Something stinks. Badly. This is one of the times I'm hoping the plaintiffs win this civil suit.

[joleneteague]

4 years later I still deal with this day as if it were unfolding right now... I read everything all of you had to say and I appreciate the fact that you ALL see right through the SH&$ the Georgia State Patrol tried to pull. Just for all of your information and an update... and all of this PROVEN fact because I sued the state... there WAS a camera... it "malfunctioned" the day of the accident.. coincidental? The sample taken from my dad to test his blood alcohol content was taken straight from his stomach.. may as well stick a syringe inside a beer mug.... that evidence was thrown out due to incompetence. My dad DID hit his breaks.. there are tire tracks leading up to the patrol car. There were SEVERAL re-enactments... the Ga State Patrol did their own.. Isn't that funny. Bottom line, the shady cops tried to cover up what they did wrong. But none of that really matters. I lost my dad. He is gone every day for the rest of my life. Due to the carelessness of the state patrol... who got to make a statement... that they didn't publish. Thank you all again for being smarter than the po-pos realize.

[bluepoof]

I'm so sorry for your loss.