Dump truck may have crossed center line
1 dies after grinding wreck on Ga. 140
A grinding dump truck versus passenger car wreck on Ga. 140 north of Rome on Tuesday evening resulted in the death of a Polk County man. Deputy Coroner Gene Proctor said 49-year-old William Chad Lance of Cedartown was pronounced dead shortly after he reached Redmond Regional Medical Center.
Proctor said Lance died from multiple traumatic injuries sustained in the wreck.
The dump truck, driven by Jesse Adam Ridgeway, 36, Buchanan, according to Proctor, was headed west toward the Martha Berry Highway when the wreck happened about a half mile from U.S. 27. “The preliminary investigation makes it look like the dump truck crossed over the center line and sideswiped the passenger car,” Battle said.
Ridgeway was taken to Floyd Medical Center for
treatment of his injuries. He was still being treated for his injuries at Floyd Medical Center late Tuesday night.
Floyd County Chief Deputy Sheriff Tom Caldwell confirmed late Tuesday night that Ridgeway had been served for a license suspension in March of this year for non-payment of child support. Caldwell also confirmed that Ridgeway was the subject of an active warrant for child neglect.
Lance’s Acura spun off the south side of the highway
onto the shoulder while the dump truck skidded another 75-100 yards before it slid off the north side of the road, hit a culvert and then vaulted across a residential driveway, landing engine compartment first and tossing the load of dirt forward over the cab.
“It sounded like a bomb went off and I opened the door and came out here and I didn’t know the car he hit was up the road there,” said Dean Cowart. “I ran out and started checking on him (the
truck driver) and then I looked down the highway and saw that car.” Cowart said it appeared as if the man in the car was seriously injured after taking a direct hit on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
Cowart said the truck driver was pinned but was able to communicate, so when the first ambulance arrived he motioned for it to tend to the driver of the automobile.
Rome-Floyd County Fire Department Battalion Chief Greg Abbott said the extrication of the dump truck driver took a prolonged time because of the damage to the engine compartment and cab. “He was able to climb out with our assistance,” Abbott said.
Charges against Ridgeway stemming from the wreck Tuesday are still pending.