A 78-year-old person died after losing control of the vehicle he was driving, and his body ended up on a roof in Macon, Georgia, according to officials.
Willie Smith Jr. I was driving a Chevrolet Equinox around 9 a.m. He was killed on Thursday by Waverland Drive, Bibb County, when he lost control of the vehicle, according to information by WGXA.
The truck came out of the road and was momentaneously in the air before falling onto the roof of a house located in the 1900 block of Woodland Drive.
The impact left the vehicle in a perpendicular position over the house and it was necessary to use a crane to remove it from the roof.
Smith was initially treated by paramedics on the spot and subsequently transferred to a hospital.The forensic of Bibb County, Leon Jones, confirmed his death shortly after.
Authorities have not revealed what caused the man to lose control of the vehicle.
So far, no other people have been injured as a result of the accident.
It has also not been confirmed whether there was anyone inside the house when the truck crashed into the roof.
Images from the spot showed the magnitude of the impact and the unusual position in which the Chevrolet Equinox was left, which had to be removed by a crane.
Smith lived about 13 miles north of the crash site along with his wife, 78-year-old Gale Smith.
The man left two children — a son and a daughter — and a granddaughter.Their relatives declined to make statements when they were contacted by Daily Mail.
Authorities are still investigating the circumstances of the accident.
Smith’s death occurs in a tragic month for Bibb County’s road safety.
This is the fourth fatal car accident recorded in the county during August, according to the information provided.
On August 22, a 30-year-old man died after being a victim of a crash and escape at the 6200 block of Forsyth Road, north of Macon.
Three days earlier, a 29-year-old man died after being hit by a 18-wheeled truck on Interstate 475.
Earlier this month, a 42-year-old woman died of complications from wounds she suffered after being struck by a white truck on Houston Avenue, near Charlotte Street.
The accident again puts attention on the safety of older drivers in Georgia, where authorities maintain programs aimed at reducing the risks associated with the aging population driving.
The Governor of Georgia’s Road Safety Office (GGOHS) has an Older Driver Safety Program aimed at reducing traffic accidents involving older drivers.
According to 2022 data collected by the agency, drivers aged 55 or older accounted for 35% of all people with a driving license in Georgia, plus 24% of drivers involved in accidents and 20% of those involved in motor vehicle accidents.
Authorities have not stated that Smith’s age was a factor in the accident, nor have they established whether any medical, mechanical or other problems could have caused the loss of control.
The investigation remains open.
Anyone who has information related to the accident can contact the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office at 478-751-7500 and request to talk to a fatal accident investigator.
