Multiple agencies in Hart and Franklin counties responded Wednesday evening to a fatal single-truck collision near Exit 177, across from the old Dad’s Restaurant in Hart County.

A call came in at 4:54 p.m. on Wednesday, May 8, that an 18-wheeler had crashed into a heavily wooded area along the south bound lands of I-85. The truck burst into flames and had several secondary explosions. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

“We don’t know if he went to sleep or had a heart attack, but he left the road and it didn’t appear that he ever touched the brake or tried to straighten the truck,” Hart County Sheriff Mike Cleveland said. “He went approximately 200 yards and then went into a wooded area.

“Witnesses said it burst into flame after it hit the guard rail,” Cleveland said. “We’re assuming that it tore the fuel line loose.”

The truck out of Florida was loaded down with plastics, which also caught on fire.

“Blazes were going as high as the 60-or-70 feet trees,” Cleveland said. “The flames would get higher than the trees, they would get it pulled down a little bit, and then it would cut back loose again.

“It’s just hard to put that plastic out.”

There was a piece of the truck thrown off during the accident that had a partial number on it, according to Cleveland.

“We were able to take that partial number and find the owner of the trucking company. They told us who was supposed to be in that truck, and we’ve talked to the family, but we can’t release a name until we’re absolutely sure,” he said.

Authorities have a probable identity on the victim, but not a positive identity. Dental records will likely be used to positively identify the driver.

Hart and Franklin County officials were on the scene into the early hours of Thursday morning.

The driver was pulled from the wreckage around 11 p.m. according to Cleveland, and “I think the last [first responder] left around 5:30 a.m.”

At least two firefighters went down from heat exhaustion during the recovery effort.

Both counties responded due to the accident’s location very close to the county line.

“We had to pull the GPS to make sure it was in our county, and it was by just a few feet,” Cleveland said.

“We appreciate Franklin County’s help. We needed all the help we could get. I told the deputies on the way up there that it doesn’t matter what county it’s in. We’re going to go up there and assist Franklin County if it’s in their county, and they can assist us if it’s in our county.”

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