Speeding vehicle burns, Tyrone man seriously injured

A Tyrone man was seriously injured Tuesday night in a single-car accident after his vehicle left the roadway on Ga. Highway 74 North and burst into flames. The injured man was air-lifted to Grady Memorial Hospital.

Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Maj. Bryan Woodie said the office’s Traffic Enforcement Section is investigating the single-vehicle traffic crash which resulted in serious injuries to the driver. The crash occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. on May 29 on Hwy. 74 near the Fulton County Line in unincorporated Fayette County.

Todd C. Stevenson, 39, of Tyrone, was operating a 1996 Chevrolet Corvette traveling north on Hwy. 74 and was the single occupant of the vehicle, Woodie said. Stevenson was driving at a high rate of speed and swerved off of the roadway to avoid striking two slower moving vehicles that he had overtaken, said Woodie.

After leaving the roadway, Stevenson lost control of his vehicle which continued to slide out of control before striking a telephone pole and coming to rest, Woodie said.

Woodie said that after coming to rest, Stevenson’s vehicle burst into flames. Stevenson was trapped inside the vehicle and was subsequently extricated by Fayette County Fire Department personnel. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire before the vehicle was totally consumed, Woodie added.

Stevenson was taken via Air Medical Ambulance to Grady Hospital after suffering both serious thermal and traumatic injuries, Woodie said.