Peachtree – A Young Harris, Ga., man was killed in a single-vehicle crash off of N.C. 141 on the morning of Dec. 22.
Ronnie Massey, 51, was found dead at the scene. It is believed he may have fallen asleep at the wheel.
The crash was reported about 10 a.m. at N.C.141 just north of Muscadine Lane, although N.C. Highway Patrol Trooper Austin Love, who is investigating the crash, said the exact time of the fatal accident was unknown.
Massey was driving north on N.C. 141 coming off a left-hand curve. He negotiated the curve, but as he came off of it, his vehicle, a 2009 Mercury four-door, drifted off the highway and traveled another 300 feet along the shoulder before it dropped off to a steep embankment.
The vehicle hit a berm above the bank of Peachtree Creek, jumped the creek and hit a tree on the far side, hitting the tree trunk about 6 feet above the ground. Debris from the crash included a ball cap, sunglasses and three cigarette packs, two empty and one unopened.
Traffic was detoured for a time while emergency responders worked the scene. Peachtree Fire & Rescue and the Highway Patrol were among the agencies that responded.