Soldier in critical condition after car wreck in Long County
By Mike Riddle, Posted: July 2, 2008
A Fort Stewart soldier is listed in critical condition after he was involved in a wreck last Friday in Long County.
According to information provided by Georgia State Patrol Trooper Jamie Wilson, last Friday morning about 1 a.m., Robert Patrick Jones, 21, was driving his 2005 Pontiac GTO north on Rye Patch Road near the Mary Road intersection.
Jones lost control of his car and veered off the east shoulder of the road, near the curve on Bell Road. The automobile traveled 320 feet off the east shoulder of Rye Patch Road and struck a culvert, propelling the GTO another 66 feet where it hit a second culvert.
The vehicle then became airborne and flew 33 feet where it overturned and landed on its roof in the roadway, facing west.
The Ludowici/Long County Fire Department arrived on the scene and found Jones entrapped in the vehicle. L/LCFD Chief Darrell Balance said workers began to extract the soldier from his car using the Jaws-of-Life.
"He was pinned under the car at where the B-Post on the car is, once we got him out, he was treated and taken to Memorial in Savannah," Ballance said.
Ballance added that the soldier had extensive trauma to his head from the accident.
Once the victim was removed from the automobile, he was air-lifted from the scene by Life Star and taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center, where he arrived at 2:17 a.m.
According to the GSP report, the driver appeared to be under the influence of alcohol. An alcohol and drug blood test was given, and the results still are pending.
According to MHUMC representative, Bryna Gordon, as of Monday at noon, Jones was still listed in critical condition.
