Georgia · Pulaski County · Fatal
Pulaski County Accident: 1 Dead, 1 Critical in Multi-Vehicle Accident at SR 26 and SR 230 Near Hawkinsville
A pickup hauling cows and a larger truck carrying corn collided at a signalized intersection in Pulaski County late Tuesday morning. The pickup's 75-year-old passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. Its driver was cut free and flown to Macon.
Key facts
- Where
- Eastman Highway near Lower River Road, Pulaski County, per Sheriff Wayne Wiley via 13WMAZ — reported by WGXA as the intersection of State Route 26 and State Route 230
- When
- Tuesday, about 11:05 a.m., per the GA 511 website as cited by WGXA
- What
- A pickup truck hauling cows collided with a larger truck carrying corn, Sheriff Wiley said
- Killed
- Fred Hitchcock, 75 — the pickup truck's passenger — pronounced dead at the scene
- Injured
- The pickup's driver, a 22-year-old Uvalda man, was flown to Macon. 13WMAZ reports critical condition; WGXA reports serious condition
- Also involved
- The tractor-trailer driver, a 74-year-old man from Unadilla — GSP did not release his status, per 13WMAZ
- Animals
- One cow was killed; the others were moved to another trailer, Sheriff Wiley said
- Investigating
- Georgia State Patrol, with the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office on scene
- What happened in the Pulaski County accident at SR 26 and SR 230?
- Where exactly is the SR 26 and SR 230 intersection?
- How did the SR 26 and SR 230 accident unfold?
- Who was killed in the Pulaski County accident?
- Which agency is investigating the Pulaski County accident?
- How does Georgia compare on traffic deaths?
- What we don't know yet
- If you were involved in this accident
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
What happened in the Pulaski County accident at SR 26 and SR 230?
A Pulaski County accident has left one person dead and another in critical condition, according to Pulaski County Sheriff Wayne Wiley, 13WMAZ reported.
The accident happened on Eastman Highway near Lower River Road. A pickup truck hauling cows collided with a larger truck carrying corn, Wiley said.
"There's corn all over the ground out here," Wiley told 13WMAZ.
WGXA reported the same accident as a multi-vehicle accident at the intersection of State Route 26 and State Route 230 in Pulaski County, and — citing the GA 511 website — placed it at Eastman Highway near Lower River Road at around 11:05 a.m.
Pulaski County Coroner Fred Clark also confirmed one dead and one in critical condition, according to WGXA. Troopers with the Georgia State Patrol responded to what WGXA described as a serious injury accident.
Residents driving in the area were encouraged to use caution and find alternate routes, WGXA reported.
Troopers worked this accident.That changes where the report goes.
A Georgia State Patrol report is a state record, not a county one. Knowing that on day one saves you days of chasing the wrong desk.
Where exactly is the SR 26 and SR 230 intersection?
Both outlets place the accident at the same spot on the ground: Eastman Highway near Lower River Road in Pulaski County. 13WMAZ attributes that location to Sheriff Wayne Wiley; WGXA attributes it to the GA 511 website.
WGXA additionally labels the site by route number — the intersection of State Route 26 and State Route 230.
The Georgia State Patrol account, as reported by both outlets, refers to a green signal and a red light, which means the junction is controlled by a traffic signal. WGXA's version specifies a green arrow, indicating a protected left-turn phase.
Live state-route conditions in Georgia are published by 511GA, the Georgia Department of Transportation's traveler information service.
How did the SR 26 and SR 230 accident unfold?
According to the Georgia State Patrol, the tractor-trailer pulling corn was attempting to turn left on a green signal when the pickup truck continued through the red light, crashing into the right side of the trailer, 13WMAZ reported.
The pickup truck continued underneath the trailer, trapping the driver and passenger, per GSP.
Sheriff Wiley gave 13WMAZ a plainer version of the same movement: the tractor-trailer carrying corn was trying to turn left on Eastman Highway, and when it did, the pickup collided with it.
WGXA's account of the GSP narrative adds vehicle detail and a direction: a Volvo tractor pulling a trailer filled with feed corn and a Dodge Ram 2500 pulling a cattle trailer filled with cattle, with the Volvo turning left on a green arrow to go southbound on GA 27. Only WGXA reports the GA 27 direction.
The passenger of the pickup truck, 75-year-old Fred Hitchcock, was pronounced dead at the scene, 13WMAZ reported. WGXA reported that he was from Uvalda.
The driver of the pickup truck, a 22-year-old Uvalda man, was life-flighted to a hospital in Macon. 13WMAZ reported he is listed in critical condition; WGXA reported he is listed in serious condition and identified him as Rodney Hitchcock, 22, of Uvalda.
The 22-year-old has not been charged at this time, according to 13WMAZ.
13WMAZ reported that GSP did not provide any information about the status of the tractor-trailer driver, a 74-year-old man from Unadilla.
One cow was also killed in the accident, Wiley said, and the other cows were put in another trailer.
Who was killed in the Pulaski County accident?
Fred Hitchcock, 75, the passenger in the pickup truck, was pronounced dead at the scene, 13WMAZ reported. WGXA reported that he was from Uvalda, a town in Montgomery County in southeast Georgia.
The pickup's driver is described by 13WMAZ only as a 22-year-old Uvalda man. WGXA named him as Rodney Hitchcock, 22, of Uvalda. Neither outlet states the two men's relationship to one another.
The two outlets also describe his condition differently. 13WMAZ says critical; WGXA says serious. We are publishing both as written rather than choosing between them.
A third person was in the accident. 13WMAZ reported that GSP did not provide any information about the status of the tractor-trailer driver, a 74-year-old man from Unadilla, a city in Dooly County.
| Who or what | Detail as reported | Outcome | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck hauling corn | Attempting to turn left on a green signal. WGXA describes a Volvo tractor pulling a trailer filled with feed corn, turning on a green arrow to go southbound on GA 27 | Struck on the right side of its trailer | GSP, via 13WMAZ and WGXA |
| Pickup hauling cows | Continued through the red light. WGXA describes a Dodge Ram 2500 pulling a cattle trailer filled with cattle | Continued underneath the trailer; driver and passenger trapped | GSP, via 13WMAZ and WGXA |
| Fred Hitchcock, 75 | Passenger in the pickup truck. Of Uvalda, per WGXA | Pronounced dead at the scene | 13WMAZ; WGXA |
| 22-year-old Uvalda man | Driver of the pickup truck. Named by WGXA as Rodney Hitchcock, 22, of Uvalda | Life-flighted to a Macon hospital — critical per 13WMAZ, serious per WGXA. Not charged at this time | 13WMAZ; WGXA |
| 74-year-old man from Unadilla | Driver of the tractor-trailer | GSP did not provide any information about his status | 13WMAZ |
| Cattle in the trailer | Being hauled by the pickup truck | One cow was killed; the others were put in another trailer | Sheriff Wayne Wiley, via 13WMAZ |
Where the two outlets differ, both versions appear above with the outlet that published each. The Local Alert has not independently verified either account.
Which agency is investigating the Pulaski County accident?
Two agencies appear in the reporting, and they are not interchangeable.
The Georgia State Patrol supplied the account of how the accident happened — the green signal, the red light, the underride. Both 13WMAZ and WGXA attribute that sequence to GSP.
The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office was on scene. Sheriff Wayne Wiley gave 13WMAZ the casualty figures, the description of the two loads, and the detail about the cattle.
The Pulaski County Coroner, Fred Clark, confirmed the death toll to WGXA. A coroner's role and a trooper's role are separate: the coroner certifies the death, the state investigates the accident.
That split matters more than it looks. When GSP supplies the accident investigation, the accident report is a state report — not a Pulaski County one, and not a city one.
13WMAZ reported that the 22-year-old has not been charged at this time. WGXA reported that GSP confirmed charges are pending and that the investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone eventually charged in Georgia is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
You do not have to sort out the paperwork today.Ask one question, get one answer.
Which agency holds the report, how long it takes, and what an insurer can and cannot ask you for in the meantime.
How does Georgia compare on traffic deaths?
Georgia recorded 1,403 motor vehicle accident deaths in 2024 — a rate of 12.5 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.15 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
That puts Georgia above the national rate of 11.5 per 100,000, but below each of the four neighboring Southeastern states shown below. Nationwide, 39,254 people died in motor vehicle accidents in 2024.
Two other national figures give this accident context. In 2024, 1,119 people were killed in accidents that involved red light running, and more than 141,000 were injured. Separately, 5,340 people died in large truck accidents in 2024, and 62% were occupants of cars and other passenger vehicles — not of the truck. Both figures are IIHS national totals and are not specific to this accident. County-level Georgia accident counts are published through the GDOT Accident Data Dashboard and the Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety.
What we don't know yet
- The condition of the tractor-trailer driver. 13WMAZ reported that GSP did not release any information about the 74-year-old Unadilla man's status. He has not been named.
- Critical or serious. 13WMAZ lists the injured 22-year-old in critical condition; WGXA lists him in serious condition. Neither outlet has updated the discrepancy.
- The route numbering. WGXA labels the location as SR 26 and SR 230 while describing a left turn to go southbound on GA 27. 13WMAZ and the sheriff describe the turn as being onto Eastman Highway. We have not seen the designations reconciled.
- The name of the Macon hospital the injured driver was flown to.
- The relationship between Fred Hitchcock and the 22-year-old driver, both of Uvalda. Neither outlet states it.
- How long the intersection was affected, and when it reopened. Corn was reported spilled across the ground at the scene.
- , and whether the signal timing or sight lines are part of the investigation.
- Whether any cattle got loose on the roadway. The sheriff said the surviving cows were moved to another trailer, but did not describe how they were contained.
This page will be updated as the Georgia State Patrol releases more about the Pulaski County accident at SR 26 and SR 230.
- Aug. 11, 2:10 p.m. — Story published from the initial 13WMAZ and WGXA reports.
- Aug. 11, 5:45 p.m. — Updated with the Georgia State Patrol accident sequence, the identification of Fred Hitchcock, 75, as the pickup truck's passenger, the injured driver's transport to Macon, the tractor-trailer driver's age and hometown, and Sheriff Wayne Wiley's account of the cattle.
If you were involved in this accident
Because the Georgia State Patrol worked this accident, the report is a state record — not a Pulaski County one. It will not exist for several business days.
That gap is the part that catches people. Insurers often make first contact within 24 to 48 hours, well before any report exists to check an account against. Attention: you are not required to give a recorded statement before you have seen the report.
Georgia's public-records framework for agency records is the Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70, and the fee for a copy of an accident report is set by O.C.G.A. § 40-9-30.
The report will not be ready for days.The phone call comes tomorrow.
HIM tells you which agency holds the report, roughly how long it takes, and what you are and are not obliged to say in the meantime.
Frequently asked questions
Where did the Pulaski County accident happen?
On Eastman Highway near Lower River Road, per Sheriff Wayne Wiley via 13WMAZ. WGXA reported the location as the intersection of State Route 26 and State Route 230, and cited the GA 511 website placing it at Eastman Highway near Lower River Road.
What time did the SR 26 and SR 230 accident happen?
At around 11:05 a.m., according to the GA 511 website as cited by WGXA. 13WMAZ published its first report at 12:12 p.m. EDT.
How many people were killed in the Pulaski County accident?
One person was killed and one left in critical condition, per Sheriff Wayne Wiley via 13WMAZ. Pulaski County Coroner Fred Clark also confirmed one dead and one critical, WGXA reported.
Who died in the SR 26 and SR 230 accident?
Fred Hitchcock, 75, the passenger in the pickup truck, was pronounced dead at the scene, 13WMAZ reported. WGXA reported he was from Uvalda.
What vehicles were involved in the Pulaski County accident?
A pickup truck hauling cows and a larger truck carrying corn, per Sheriff Wiley via 13WMAZ. WGXA described them as a Dodge Ram 2500 pulling a cattle trailer filled with cattle and a Volvo tractor pulling a trailer filled with feed corn.
What caused the accident at SR 26 and SR 230?
According to GSP, the tractor-trailer pulling corn was attempting to turn left on a green signal when the pickup truck continued through the red light and crashed into the right side of the trailer, 13WMAZ reported. The investigation is ongoing.
Which agency is investigating the Pulaski County accident?
The Georgia State Patrol supplied the accident account. The Pulaski County Sheriff's Office was also on scene and gave the initial casualty figures. A GSP report is a state record rather than a Pulaski County one.
Was anyone airlifted from the Pulaski County accident?
Yes. The pickup's driver, a 22-year-old Uvalda man, was life-flighted to a hospital in Macon. 13WMAZ reported critical condition; WGXA reported serious condition.
Were any charges filed in the SR 26 and SR 230 accident?
Not yet. 13WMAZ reported the 22-year-old has not been charged at this time, and WGXA reported GSP confirmed charges are pending.
Were any cows killed in the Pulaski County accident?
One cow was killed, Sheriff Wayne Wiley said, and the other cows were put in another trailer, per 13WMAZ.
What happened to the tractor-trailer driver?
13WMAZ reported that GSP did not provide any information about the status of the tractor-trailer driver, a 74-year-old man from Unadilla.
How many people die on Georgia roads each year?
Georgia recorded 1,403 motor vehicle accident deaths in 2024, a rate of 12.5 per 100,000 people, according to IIHS.
Sources
- 13WMAZ — 1 dead, 1 critically injured in Pulaski County after pickup truck hauling animals slams into tractor-trailer, sheriff says (by Lars Lonnroth; published Aug. 11, 2026, 12:12 p.m. EDT; updated 5:18 p.m. EDT)
- WGXA — 1 dead, 1 critical after multi-vehicle accident at SR 26 and SR 230 in Pulaski County (by Addison White; published Aug. 11, 2026, 12:51 p.m.; updated 5:37 p.m.)
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — Fatality Facts: state by state, 2024
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — Red light running
- Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — Fatality Facts: large trucks, 2024
- Georgia DOT — Accident Data Dashboard
- Georgia Governor's Office of Highway Safety
- 511GA — Georgia traveler information
Compiled by The Local Alert Georgia Staff from named news outlets and Georgia State Patrol statements, each linked above. Every fact on this page is attributed to the outlet that published it. The Local Alert is not a law enforcement agency and not a law firm. Anyone named in connection with a crime is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Corrections and removal requests: see our corrections policy.
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