Car, motorcycle crash injures four in White County

WHITE COUNTY, Ga. — A Blairsville woman was critically injured and three North Carolina residents were in serious condition following a three-vehicle accident on Ga. Alternate 75 Thursday afternoon, according to a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Report.

GSP Post 6 in Gainesville reported that a Volkswagen Jetta, driven by Harvey May, 34, of Hayesville, N.C., was traveling south on Alt. 75, negotiating a curve to the right at the same time a Mercury Mountaineer, driven by Jacqueline Chinkan, 46, of Young Harris, was traveling north on Alt. 75, negotiating a curve to the left.

The Volkswagen crossed the centerline and struck the Mountaineer in the front, causing the Mountaineer to overturn onto the passenger side. The Mountaineer veered into the southbound lane and struck a Kawasaki motorcycle driven by John Hicks, 63, of Franklin, N.C.

The Mountaineer struck Hicks’ motorcycle on the front fender before overturning onto its top. The Mountaineer and the motorcycle came to rest on the shoulder of Alt. 75.

The driver of a second motorcycle who was not involved in the wreck told GSP he observed the collision between the Volkswagen Jetta and the Mercury Mountaineer and swerved onto the shoulder of the roadway, traveling in a ditch to avoid the collision.

May was seriously injured in the wreck. His passenger, 19-year-old Autumn Miller, of Blairsville, was critically injured.

Chinkan was not injured but her passenger, 74-year-old Carmen Betancourt, of Hiawassee, suffered what are believed to be non-life threatening injuries.

Hicks suffered serious injuries, as did his passenger, 64-year-old Wanda Hicks, of Franklin, N.C., according to GSP.

Charges are pending in the wreck, according to GSP.