A juvenile passenger died at the scene of a two-vehicle crash at Macland Road and Ernest Barrett Parkway in Marietta on Wednesday night, according to Cobb County police. The driver of one vehicle was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while investigators have not released the child's age, identity, or said whether charges will be filed.
According to FOX 5 Atlanta, a blue 2019 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling east on Macland Road when a red 2016 Kia Forte, headed west, turned left onto Ernest Barrett Parkway at 7:29 p.m. The Silverado struck the passenger side of the Kia, the station reported, citing information from Cobb County police.
The impact sent the Kia spinning into the northbound lanes of Ernest Barrett Parkway and Macland Road, per the same account. The Silverado rolled onto its roof and came to rest partly in the right eastbound lane of Macland Road and partly on the shoulder.
Driver Hospitalized, Child Pronounced Dead at Scene
The Silverado's driver was transported by ambulance to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the report notes. The juvenile passenger riding in the Kia died at the scene; the Kia driver was not reported as injured in the crash, according to the available account. Officials said they have notified the child's next of kin.
Investigators have not released the deceased child's age or identity, and officers have not said whether charges will be filed or whether speed or impairment were factors in the crash, the report states. The Cobb County Police Department's Special Operations S.T.E.P. unit provided the details in a preliminary investigation report, per the station's account.
A History at the Same Intersection
This is not the first fatal wreck at Macland Road and Ernest Barrett Parkway. In June 2021, a motorized scooter driver ran a red light while heading south on Ernest W. Barrett Parkway and collided with a Volkswagen Tiguan that then struck a Toyota Corolla, according to Patch. The scooter driver, identified as 32-year-old Jason Sklar of Marietta, was ejected and died from his injuries, while the three occupants of the two cars sustained minor injuries and were taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital for treatment, Patch reported at the time.
Cobb County's traffic enforcement unit is tasked with investigating all fatal traffic crashes in the county, according to the Cobb County government. The county has also set a safety goal of zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries, with a five percent annual reduction target for safety performance measures, per Cobb County's traffic safety materials. The Georgia Department of Transportation separately maintains a statewide Crash Data Dashboard that allows the public to filter and map crash data by city, county or region, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Cobb County police are also investigating a separate, unrelated crash involving a pedestrian on Macland Road near Gus Robinson Road, according to a fox5atlanta.com report. No further details on that incident have been tied to Wednesday's fatal crash at Ernest Barrett Parkway.
