A Dade County man has died from injuries suffered in a serious crash on Sand Mountain, turning a routine drive into a deadly tragedy along Highway 136 West.
Mitchel Ford, 73, was traveling up Highway 136 West last Monday when his vehicle crashed on the Sand Mountain stretch of the route. Emergency crews responded to the scene and had him airlifted by a Life Force medical helicopter. He remained in care for nearly a week before dying from his injuries on Sunday.
Discover Dade identified the victim as Ford and reported that the wreck was investigated by the Georgia State Patrol.
Responders and the investigation
The Georgia Department of Public Safety notes that the Georgia State Patrol is the division that investigates trooper incidents and major highway crashes on state routes such as Highway 136, according to Georgia State Patrol.
LIFEFORCE, Erlanger Health System's air medical program, operates bases across the Chattanooga region and frequently handles trauma transports from plateau and valley counties, per 3B Media News.
Highway 136 has seen other deadly wrecks
Highway 136 has seen other deadly crashes in the Trenton area. WDEF reported a fatal wreck on the route in October 2022 that also required an airlifted patient. Those past incidents underscore the potential severity of collisions on mountain roads that carry regional traffic between valleys and plateaus.
Officials have not released additional details about the crash or a formal determination of cause. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Georgia State Patrol. This story will be updated as agencies release more information.
