Good Samaritan Airlifted After Multi-Vehicle Crash Shuts Down I-20 Eastbound

ROCKDALE COUNTY GA:     A holiday gesture of kindness took a tragic turn early Wednesday morning when a multi-vehicle collision on I-20 Eastbound left a pedestrian with serious injuries and forced a total shutdown of the interstate for several hours. According to the Georgia State Patrol Post 46, the incident occurred around 12:17 a.m. on Christmas Eve near mile marker 80.9 in Rockdale County.

     The preliminary investigation reveals that the chain of events began when a Dodge Challenger became disabled and came to a stop in the right travel lane. Shortly after, the driver of a Dodge Ram truck pulled over to assist the stranded motorists, parking his vehicle partially in the right lane and partially on the shoulder. As the driver of the Ram truck exited his vehicle to offer help, a Mercedes sedan traveling eastbound struck the rear of the disabled Challenger and sideswiped the Ram truck. In the process, the Good Samaritan—acting as a pedestrian on the roadway—was struck by the vehicles.

     The pedestrian sustained serious injuries but was reported to be conscious and coherent when emergency responders arrived at the scene. Due to the severity of the trauma, he was life-flighted via helicopter to Grady Memorial Hospital for emergency treatment. Authorities later determined that the driver of the original disabled Dodge Challenger was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Charges are currently pending as the GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team continues its investigation.

     The crash caused significant disruption for holiday travelers, resulting in a total shutdown of all eastbound lanes for approximately four and a half hours. During the closure, the Georgia Department of Transportation diverted traffic off the interstate at mile marker 80.9, utilizing Iris Drive and State Route 138 to navigate around the scene. The roadway was eventually cleared and fully reopened to traffic by early Wednesday morning.

     This incident serves as a somber reminder to exercise extreme caution on the interstates, especially during high-traffic holiday periods. If your vehicle becomes disabled, safety officials urge you to move to the shoulder if at all possible and remain inside the vehicle with seatbelts fastened while waiting for professional assistance.