Two killed, two injured after tree falls onto pickup truck in Putnam County

The incident happened around 6:15 a.m. on June 19 on Pea Ridge Road near the intersection of U.S. Highway 441.

PUTNAM COUNTY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Two people were killed and two others were injured Friday morning when a large oak tree fell onto a pickup truck in Putnam County, according to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills.

The incident happened around 6:15 a.m. on June 19 on Pea Ridge Road near the intersection of U.S. Highway 441.

According to Sills, four men from Ellabell, Georgia, in Bryan County, were traveling in a 2023 Toyota Tacoma when the tree fell onto the vehicle.

The sheriff said the tree struck the rear portion of the truck’s cab, where the backseat passengers were seated.

The backseat passengers were identified as 24-year-old Logan Deal and 25-year-old Jakob Papley. Both men died at the scene, according to Sills.

The driver and front-seat passenger, both 25 years old, survived the incident and were transported to a hospital in Macon for treatment.

According to Sills, weather was not a factor at the time of the crash, and it was not storming when the tree fell.

However, the sheriff said Putnam County experienced storms and strong winds overnight. Investigators are examining whether those conditions may have contributed to the tree falling, but no determination has been made.

The incident remains under investigation.