Wrong-way driver dies in high-speed accident - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Wrong-way driver dies in high-speed accident

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By Tayleigh Davis - bio | email

MITCHELL COUNTY, GA (WALB) - We have reaction from a witness to a deadly wrong way crash in Mitchell County. A man who lives near the scene on U.S. 19 called police after he spotted the car speeding upwards of 100 mph heading northbound in the southbound lane.

Roger Daughtry was on his way home Saturday night. As soon as he pulled into this lane to go home, he witnessed something he won't forget.

"Before I could get anywhere he zoomed right past me at 100 mph and almost blew me off the road," Daughtry said."I could feel my car shake."

It was a car driving the wrong way on U.S. 19 in Mitchell County. Daughtry grabbed his cell phone and called Pelham Police. He made a u-turn and tried to follow the car speeding northbound in the south bound lane.

Daughtry saw him break once around a curve heading into Pelham. Once police spotted him, Daughtry says the driver sped up even more. Moments later Daughtry saw sparks near the road leading to Autry State Prison. His Honda Accord swipe an 18-wheeler.

After 36-year-old Jeffery Mercer of Camilla hit the semi, his car spun, slid several hundred yards down 19, and slammed into an oncoming Honda Civic.

Daughtry rushed to the Civic to help. A woman and her four-year-old child were inside.

" I just kept telling her, don't worry about dying because we're going to get you out of this car," Daughtry noted.

Both survived with minor injuries. The driver of the Accord, Jeffery Mercer, died on impact.

Daughtry and the semi-truck driver say this isn't the first time he's seen reckless drivers cause serious accidents like this one.

The four-year-old child and mother were treated at a Mitchell County hospital for minor cuts and bruises. They're expected to be okay.

We're not sure why the man was speeding in the wrong direction down the highway. We'll know more after investigators complete a toxicology report. 

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