Sheriff: Driver seriously injured after car splits ‘in half’ during crash in Washington County

The driver was airlifted to Augusta after crashing on Georgia Highway 24 in Washington County. The car hit a culvert and split in half, authorities say.

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A driver was seriously injured late Tuesday night when their car split in half during a crash on Georgia Highway 24, according to the Georgia State Patrol and Washington County Sheriff Joel Cochran.

The crash happened along Hwy 24 East at Williamson Swamp, according to a post from Sheriff Joel Cochran on the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page. “Deputies, Fire, EMS, and Rescue Services responded to vehicle crash last night around 11pm on Hwy 24 East at Williamson Swamp,” he wrote.”Vehicle was overturned and split in half as a result of the crash. One serious injury was reported. Georgia State Patrol was called to investigate the accident.”

In response to an inquiry from 41NBC, a Georgia State Patrol (GSP) spokesperson said the driver of the vehicle, who has not been identified, was traveling east in the eastbound lane of Highway 24 when they failed to maintain their lane and went off the south side of the highway.

The driver then overcorrected and lost control. GSP says the car rotated clockwise, hit a concrete culvert on the north side of the highway, then overturned and struck a metal beam in the ground at the vehicle’s A-pillar.

“This impact completely separated the engine block from Vehicle 1 before both the engine block and Vehicle 1 came to an uncontrolled final rest on the north side of Georgia Highway 24,” the spokesperson said.

GSP says the driver was first taken to Washington Regional Hospital, then airlifted to Wellstar MCG Health Medical Center in Augusta.

At this time, there’s no update on the driver’s condition.