Watkinsville man killed, others injured in Towns County wreck
An Oconee County man was killed and five other people injured in a three-vehicle crash Friday south of the mountain city of Hiawassee, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The crash claimed the life of Mark Savage, 63, of Watkinsville, who died at the scene of the wreck that occurred at about 12:50 p.m. on Georgia Highway 17 near the Owl Creek Road intersection.
Five others were transported to hospitals with injuries ranging from serious to critical, according to the state patrol.
Savage’s grandson, 11-year-old Hinton Dalton, was critically injured and was placed in an intensive care unit. While the youngster's father, Jeremy Dalton, 41, of Watkinsville, was injured, but has been released from a hospital, according to a Gofundme page set up to help the family with medical expenses.
A 10-year-old cousin also remains hospitalized.
The others injured were Charles W. Farmer, 68, of Cleveland, who was driving a dump truck; and, Newton Wilcox, 77, of Hiawassee, who was driving a Ford F-150 pickup.
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Troopers said a Mack dump truck was traveling north on Highway 17 and was negotiating a curve when it experienced a possible mechanical issue. The driver was unable to maintain control of the truck and entered the southbound lane, where it collided with the southbound 2008 GMC Sierra 2500 driven by Savage.
The GMC then went off the shoulder of the road, while the dump truck continued north and collided head-on with the Ford F-150, according to the report.
The dump truck continued, went off the road, and overturned down an embankment, troopers said. The Towns County Sheriff’s Office reported on its Facebook that a driver’s side tire apparently blew out on the dump truck that was loaded with gravel.
The Gofundme page sought to raise $30,000, but by Monday afternoon 480 people had donated more than $40,000.
“The terrible news left close friends and the entire community devastated. Mark Savage will be dearly missed,” according to the page.
The family was traveling home from a water park in Hiawassee, according to the page. Jeremy Dalton was life flighted to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, while Hinton and his cousin, Gabe, were flown to Children Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta.
“In the coming weeks and months, the Daltons will have numerous, expensive medical bills from the life flights, as well as the hospital, stays. Please consider donating to assist with these bills along with helping cover the time they will be out of work and staying with their son," the post reads.
To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-daltons-with-medical-and-other-bills.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Gofundme page set to help family of Watkinsville man killed in crash
