A man facing homicide by vehicle in the first degree and other charges in connection with an April 8 car crash on Bakers Ferry Road turned himself in at the Elbert County Detention Center Thursday after an extended stay in a South Carolina hospital.
Jerry Lee Heard, 49, of 2020 Charles Yeargin Road, was airlifted to a Greenville, South Carolina hospital after he crashed his 1988 Ford pickup truck on Baker’s Ferry Road.
Heard’s truck exited the left side of the road and the right side of the road before overturning several times, according to Elbert County Coroner Chuck Almond.
The vehicle came to rest upside down and and authorities blocked traffic for three hours at the crash site so emergency medical technicians could get Heard out of the vehicle.
A passenger in Heard’s vehicle - Darrell Vincent Taylor, 29, of 2353 James Bailey Road - died in the crash.
Authorities said no other vehicle was involved in the fatal crash.
In addition to the homicide by vehicle in the first degree charge, Heard will be charged with possession of open alcohol container, DUI (alcohol), driving while declared as a habitual violator, driving with license withdrawn, suspended or revoked, failure to maintain lane and probation violation.
Almond said a call alerting Elbert County officials about the incident came to Elbert County 911 at 5:32 p.m. on the afternoon of April 8.