BRUNSWICK — A Waycross man is facing several charges after a crash involving the log truck he was driving claimed the life of a Waynesville man Wednesday evening.
Wendall Monroe Lovell, 41, was the driver of the log truck, which was traveling east on U.S. Highway 17. The loaded truck overturned around 6:45 p.m., February 12 onto its passenger side and spilled logs onto the roadway, one of which landed on top of a Mitsubishi Outlander.
Lovell was originally charged with DUI by the Georgia State Patrol. Additional charges of Vehicular Homicide have been added.
Joseph William Hickey, 33 of Waynesville, was the driver of the Mitsubishi. Hickey died at the scene of the crash.
Two other vehicles struck logs that were in the road, GSP reported.
A Nissan Juke was exiting a private driveway while attempting to turn westbound on U.S. Highway 17 near its intersection with Ga. Highway 303. Hickey struck the vehicle before rolling the log truck over.
The unidentifed driver of the Nissan was airlifted to UF Health Shands Hospital in Jacksonville in critical condition.
The state patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (S.C.R.T.) is investigating the crash.
The Motor Carrier Compliance Division also responded to inspect the log truck.
The roadway was closed until 11:20 p.m., Wednesday night, GSP reported.
