By BETH ALSTON
beth.alston@americustimesrecorder.com
www.americustimesrecorder.com

AMERICUS — An young Americus woman involved in a fatal traffic accident last summer near Cobb has been arrested and released on bond.
A’dai’sha C. Walker, 20, of Americus is charged with felony first-degree homicide by vehicle, failure to yield the right of way when entering the roadway, and distracted driving.
Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney Plez Hardin told the Times-Recorder that his office has not yet received the completed investigative file as the Georgia State Patrol SCRT (specialized collision reconstruction team) has not completed its report. He said he is hoping he will receive it prior to the Nov. 28 session of the Sumter County Grand Jury.
According to the Georgia State Patrol Post 10, (GSP) Americus, which investigated the crash, they were notified at 5:23 p.m. June 20 and responded to the intersection of Ga. Highway 3 (U.S. Highway 280 East) and Lamar Road, near Fat Boys store.
According to the GSP, a Kia Forte, driven by A’dai’sha C. Walker, attempted to turn left from Lamar Road onto 280, and collided with a tractor-trailer truck (Pine Oak Products of Ellaville), driven by James Scott Layfield, 39, of Ideal, which was eastbound.
After the collision, the tractor-trailer crossed the center line and struck another tractor-trailer (R&S Transportation of Pleasant View, Tenn.) driven by Christopher Lance White, 39, of Americus, which was westbound. The westbound truck lost its load of lumber and burst into flames. The driver was trapped inside the burning vehicle and was dead at the scene.
The GSP said two investigators from SCRT were called to the scene and both lanes of 280 were closed for several hours.
Sumter County Fire & Rescue Chief John Ekaitis said they were the first on the scene of the crash as one of their stations is right there at the intersection. He said there were 22 firefighters on the scene and the Crisp County Fire Department also provided mutual aid. He said personnel from the Crisp County Sheriff’s Office, Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, GSP and Goldstar EMS were all on the scene as well.
Ekaitis said his personnel finished cleaning up the site after 2 a.m. the following morning.