A Chattanooga, Tennessee, man has been charged in connection with a two vehicle crash that killed a Louisiana man.
The crash occurred shortly before 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 26.
Michael James Zema, 75, of 1131 Stringers Ridge Road, is charged with Homicide by Vehicle in the Second Degree and Failure to Yield When Turning Left.
Georgia State Patrol (GSP) Trooper First Class Ethan Martin took the charges following a Monday, August 26, crash at the intersection of Georgia State Route 2 (Highway 515) and Industrial Park Road east of Blue Ridge.
Martin’s report said a 2003 Hummer HQ driven by Zema was turning left onto Industrial Park Road from the eastbound turning lane of Highway 515.
Benito Anthony Fayard was traveling west toward Blue Ridge on Highway 515 driving a 2006 Lexus GX470.
Zema failed to yield, turned, and struck the drivers side rear quarter panel of the Lexus. This caused the vehicle to rotate counterclockwise and begin overturning.
Fayard, 57, of 1225 Rue Bayonne, Mandeville, Louisiana, was killed in the crash.
Zema, along with four other occupants of the two vehicles – one passenger in Zema’s and three in Fayards’s – were reported injured in Martin’s report.
However, all refused medical treatment.
The crash was investigated by the GSP’s Specialized Crash Reconstruction Team.
Bond was set for Zema at $2,500.