An Augusta man was killed in a one-vehicle crash Tuesday.
James Hopkins was pronounced dead at 9:21 p.m. at the Medical College of Georgia Hospital and Clinics, said Richmond County Chief Deputy Coroner Mark Bowen. His body was sent to the GBI Crime Lab in Augusta for an autopsy, but the preliminary cause of death is blunt force trauma, Mr. Bowen said.
Around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday Mr. Hopkins was driving eastbound on Bobby Jones Parkway near Gordon Highway. He possibly had a blowout on his right-front tire when his car began drifting across the highway to the westbound lane, where it crashed into a dirt embankment, Mr. Bowen said.
He was not wearing a seat belt.
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If it is the same accident (which I believe it is) the truck he was driving (A dump truck) did in fact have a blow out I was traveling west at the time and he crossed the median and all lanes on our side approximately 50 ft from the rear of my car and into the embankment on the far side of the highway from where he originally started. He did a remarkable job maintaining some sort of control and God was very gracious to not include any other vehicles. As bad as this is and I feel deeply for his family it could have been much worse. I personally thank you Mr.Hopkins for your dedication to keeping those around you safe including my son whose Birthday was the next day and myself. To His family you are in my continued prayers.
Almost every story of a fatality traffic accident includes the words "they were NOT wearing a seat belt". How many deaths could be prevented if people would only buckle up?
Of all the wrecks I have responded to while in the fire service, I can only recall two deaths that happened while the person had seat belt and shoulder belt fastened.
Any others that died while wearing restrants, the vehicles were damaged so bad that no one would have survived.
That was one wreck and involved two vehicles.
If the victims had been thrown out of the vehicle, the violence of hitting the ground and pavement would have killed them.
I will take wearing a restraint any day of the week.