Two elderly Fannin County women died in a three-car crash Friday, April 3, and witness statements say the early morning sunshine was a factor.
Margaret J. Fundis, 74, and Delores Ayers, 72, both of Dogwood Lane apartment addresses in Blue Ridge, were killed in the crash on Highway 515 just east of the Loving Road intersection. Fannin County Coroner Becky Callihan said she pronounced both victims dead at the scene.
According to the Georgia State Patrol report, filed by Sergeant First Class J.L. Ensley, the crash occurred at approximately 7:40 a.m.
Fundis was driving east in her 2005 Toyota Camry with Ayers in the front passenger seat.
Fundis, traveling in the left lane, traveled into the right lane and struck the rear driver’s side of a 2018 Jeep Cherokee being driven by Richard James Sailors, 70, of Appalachian Trace, Morganton.
After impact, Fundis’ traveled back into the left lane and stopped. The Toyota was then struck from the rear by a 2007 Toyota Sequoia SR 5 driven by Sabrina Michele Deyton, 31, of Old Highway 76, Morganton.
The Toyota rotated counterclockwise and came to an uncontrolled stop in the median, while the other two vehicles came to controlled stops on the right shoulder of the highway, Ensley’s report said.
Sailors stated a driver traveling in front of him began to brake and he began to brake due to sunlight glare. He said he then felt the impact of Fundis’ vehicle striking his, then heard another impact.
Deyton told Ensley that Fundis’ Toyota was stopped in the left lane and she did not have time to react due to being blinded by sunlight glare.
Deyton, Sailors, and a two-year-old passenger in Deyton’s vehicle were all transported from the scene by Fannin County EMS.
No citations were issued according to Ensley’s report, which indicated obscured vision as a contributing factor.