The driver of a GMC Yukon died early Sunday morning after reportedly trying to flee from a Walker County deputy.
At a quarter past midnight on Sept. 20, the Georgia State Patrol was told a single vehicle had crashed on Highway 151 Spur and Old Trion Highway.
Walker County Sheriff Steve Wilson said dispatch was called twice for a suspected impaired driver. One of his deputies eventually found the suspected impaired driver and then lost the vehicle as the driver took off.
The deputy then arrived at the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 151 and saw a large fire at the end of Georgia Highway 151 Spur. The GMC Yukon was engulfed in flames.
The preliminary investigation, according to Franka Young with the GSP, indicates the GMC was traveling south on Highway 151 Spur and failed to stop at the stop sign at Old Trion Highway. The vehicle left the roadway, went airborne and struck a tree. The driver remained in the vehicle after the crash and was pronounced dead at the scene after Walker County Emergency Services was able to put the fire out.
Due to the extent of damage from the crash, the driver has not yet been identified. No other injuries were reported.
The fire from the crash resulted in extensive heat damage to a residence on Trion Highway.
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.