Thurmont, MD : Army National Guard vehicles collide on Thursday, June 8, 2017

At least one soldier was hurt as two Georgia National Guard trucks wrecked on Georgia's Interstate 16 Thursday afternoon.

Tree trimming crews were working in the eastbound lanes between Coliseum Drive and Ocmulgee East Industrial Boulevard which had closed one lane.

Desiree Bamba, with media relations for Georgia National Guard, said a small convoy was headed from Kennesaw to Fort Stewart for Soldier Readiness Processing.

A Humvee towing a generator on a trailer was part of the group, said Georgia State Patrol Cpl. Michael Burns.

“He put on the brakes but he locked them up, causing the vehicle to fishtail because of the heavy trailer on back,” Burns said. “It fishtailed and it was hit by an even larger military vehicle.”

Four soldiers were traveling in the Humvee and three in a larger military tactical vehicle, Bamba said.

As the Humvee fishtailed, it was hit broadside by the tactical vehicle.

“Pretty much a T-bone and caved that whole side in and then they came to an uncontrolled final rest in the right of way,” Burns said.

Macon-Bibb County Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Ferrell Cromer said emergency vehicles had a difficult time making it to the scene as the line of traffic did not pull over.

One soldier’s leg was pinned in the Humvee, Bamba said.

“Military personnel had him out when we got there,” Cromer said.

Bamba said the seriously injured soldier in the Humvee was taken to Medical Center, Navicent Health.

Others were slightly hurt, but refused medical transport, Cromer said.

While eastbound lanes were blocked, traffic slowed in westbound lanes due to onlookers, although the Georgia Department of Transportation’s Navigator website had originally reported a second crash.

A bus carrying soldiers and traveling behind the other military vehicles wound up in the median to avoid the accident, Burns said.

The bus swerved and pulled up next to the Humvee on the left side of the highway, Burns said.

“He then decided to pull further over so ambulances and stuff could get in and didn’t realize how wet it was and just slid all the way down into the median.”

Source :
Army National Guard vehicles collide in serious crash in Georgia