Jones County sheriff hopes GDOT will add safety measures to bypass

GRAY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Another person has died in a car wreck on the Gray Bypass.

55-year-old Laura Pitsikoulis is the 3rd person killed in a wreck since last Thursday at the intersection of the Gray Bypass and Eatonton Highway.

“It’s dangerous man,” said one driver.

Drivers may not be used to the intersection yet.

“Oh yeah, it’s dangerous then,” said another driver.

But as they pulled up at the stop sign of the new Gray Bypass and Eatonton Highway, they weren’t confident about their safety.

“Big trucks coming through there actually not paying attention to what they’re doing,” said a driver. “And the ones who are not used to the new exit here, they’re just going to keep going.”

That’s unfortunately what happened Monday morning.

“A car coming from the direction of Eatonton failed to stop at the stop sign, came across and hit a westbound van coming toward Macon,” said Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece.

One person died.

“This is our third fatality since Thursday at this intersection,” said Reece.

Jones County Sheriff Butch Reece has been talking about the dangers of this intersection since the Bypass opened in December.

“I’m not an engineer, but I’ve been in this forty years, and I’ve seen enough accidents,” said Reece. “We’ve got a problem here.”

But a solution is coming from the Georgia Department of Transportation.

“I have been assured something will be done either today (Monday) or tomorrow (Tuesday),” said Reece. “They’ll put up a temporary four way stop until they can figure out what to do.”

Drivers are hoping for a traffic light.