GSP releases fire station crash report
Published 12:25 pm Wednesday, January 9, 2019
By Beth Alston
AMERICUS — The Georgia State Patrol Post 10, Americus, released the accident report from a car crashing into a volunteer fire station the night of Saturday, Dec. 29.
According to the accident report, the crash occurred at around 9:15 p.m. Dec. 29 at a Sumter County Fire & Rescue volunteer fire station located on Lamar Road near Spring Creek Road.
The report of Rodney Gardner, the investigating trooper, states that the vehicle, a 2002 Buick LaSabre Custom, driven by an unknown party, was negotiating a curve eastbound when it traveled about 255 feet into the south shoulder of Lamar Road. The driver overcorrected, lost control of the car, and traveled approximately 85 feet back across Lamar Road. The car continued traveling onto the north shoulder of Lamar Road for approximately 234 feet before striking the fire station with its passenger side.
The driver of the vehicle fled the scene, with a description by a witness. The estimated speed of the vehicle, at the time of the crash, was estimated at 73 mph, according to the accident report. Authorities are seeking the driver of the vehicle.
Sumter County Fire & Rescue Chief John Ekaitis told the Times-Recorder that upon responding to the crash, they found a vehicle but no driver. The chief said the building sustained major damage but there was no damage to the fire engine sitting inside, and no injuries were reported as the station was unmanned at the time.