A Thursday night drive turned deadly at a Macon-Bibb County intersection when a passenger died after a two-vehicle collision at Bethel Church Road and Knoxville Road. Deputies say the crash was called in just before 10 p.m. Emergency crews rushed a passenger from a Nissan Altima to a nearby hospital, where he later died. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office identified him as 52-year-old Tony Gales.
According to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office, a Nissan Altima was heading south on Knoxville Road when an Audi SUV traveling east on Bethel Church Road entered the intersection and hit the Altima, as reported by 41NBC. Deputies said no one else at the scene was reported injured.
Investigation Underway
The sheriff’s office said the crash is still being pieced together by investigators, according to 41NBC. Deputies have notified Gales’ next of kin, and fatality investigators are working to sort out what factors contributed to the wreck.
Where This Fits In The State's Numbers
Deadly crashes remain a stubborn problem across Georgia. The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety recorded 1,615 motor-vehicle fatalities in 2023, roughly a 10% drop from 2022, according to the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. The report also notes that rural corridors and speeding continue to show up again and again in fatal wrecks statewide.
How To Help
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who saw the crash or has information that could help investigators to call the department at (478) 751-7500. Tips can also be shared anonymously with Macon Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-877-68-CRIME, and more information is available through Macon Regional Crime Stoppers.
Authorities have not released further details about the drivers involved or whether any charges are expected. Investigators say they will share updates through official channels as more information becomes available.
