Leary man is one of 13 killed in Georgia wrecks over Labor Day weekend

ALBANY — Thirteen people died in traffic accidents — including one in Baker County — over the long Labor Day holiday weekend, the Georgia Department of Public Safety reported Tuesday.

Of the 13 fatalities, eight were investigated by the Georgia State Patrol, including one each by Post 40, based at Albany, and Post 13, based at Tifton.

The fatality worked by Post 40 was a single-car wreck in west Baker County in which Elisha Jones, 65, of Leary, was killed when his vehicle ran off the road and burst into flames when it slammed into a tree.

SFC John Vanlandingham, commander of Post 40, said the reports show that Jones was traveling south on Milford Church Road around 8:10 p.m. Sunday when his vehicle tires went off the right side of the road on a left curve. It returned to the roadway and was rotating as it went off the east side of the roadway.

The vehicle continued spinning after it left the roadway. The front end of the vehicle hit a tree, causing it to catch fire, and it came to a rest when it struck a fence a few feet from that impact.

The report said alcohol may have been involved in the crash, but that determination won’t be made until toxicology reports are reported.

Other fatalities worked by GSP troopers included one each by Post 5 (Dalton), Post 6 (Gainesville), Post 7 (Toccoa), Post 38 (Rome), Post 21 (Sylvania) and Post 23 (Brunswick). Fatalities worked by municipal or county authorities included two by the Atlanta Police Department and one each by the Floyd County, Columbus and Savannah-Chatham police departments.

In 2015, 14 people died on Georgia roadways over the Labor Day weekend.

The 78-hour holiday period, as measured by state officials, was 6 p.m. Friday until midnight Monday.