AUGUSTA, Ga. — A driver was hospitalized in serious condition after a car left Walton Way in Augusta, Georgia, at high speed Saturday afternoon and took down a string of poles in the 2300 block, knocking out power nearby and squeezing westbound traffic to a single lane.
Richmond County deputies said the car was headed west when it ran off the road, according to people who saw the crash. After jumping a curb, it sheared a light pole and a pair of telephone poles, then came to rest. The front of the car was heavily damaged, and deputies said the driver had not been wearing a seat belt.
Homes and businesses around the crash scene lost electricity, and Georgia Power crews were called out to deal with the damage.
Only one westbound lane in the 2300 block will be open until the damaged pole is replaced, and drivers are being asked to find another way around for now. No estimate was given for when the work would be finished.
Walton Way is one of the busiest east-west corridors in the city. It runs through the heart of Summerville, the historic neighborhood on the Sand Hills ridge west of downtown that is centered on Walton Way and Milledge Road and known for its historic mansions, and it is lined with shops and cafes that draw steady traffic.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, whose headquarters sits farther east on the same road at 400 Walton Way, is still investigating what led to the crash. No charges had been announced, and deputies have not released the driver’s name.
Drivers heading west through the area should expect delays where the road narrows, and anyone who lost power can expect service to return once crews finish repairs to the damaged lines and pole.
Section: More Augusta GA crime news
Filed under: Augusta GA Traffic News
