The Law Offices of Forrest B. Johnson & Associates Represents Family of man killed in a 27 car pile up on Interstate 16 in Rural Georgia
Forrest B. Johnson & Associates represents the family of Michael Jerome Smith, 52, of Covington, Georgia. Just after 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday February 6, 2013, Mr. Smith was driving a FedEx truck on I-16 when he came upon heavy fog and smoke that blanketed the woods, pastures and highway in Laurens County, Georgia.
Mr. Smith’s vehicle struck and trapped in a fiery chain-reaction crash that resulted in his injury and death.
A controlled burn may have been the source of the deadly pile up. Smoke from the burn caused poor visibility, leading to multiple collisions, including a tanker truck explosion. Early reports indicate that the Georgia Forestry Commission issued a permit Tuesday morning for underbrush to be burned on 75 acres in Montrose, just north of the interstate.The permit was good for 24 hours. It appears that the controlled burn led to a wildfire which spread to adjacent property.Investigations are underway to determine if the landowner responsible for the fire burned beyond the extent of the permit.
Mr. Smith’s family is devastated and trying to cope with this tremendous and shocking loss. The Law Offices of Forrest B. Johnson & Associates is working with Mr. Smith’s family to identify any and all parties that may be responsible for the hazardous conditions that led to the fatal collision.