Severe Storms Strike Here Saturday

Heavy thunderstorms hit much of Jasper County Saturday, causing several accidents, and some power outages, most of them brief.

A two vehicle accident occurred on Hwy. 11 north right as a heavy downpour hit the area. In the photo above, Michael Vastakis of Milledgeville was traveling north on Hwy. 11 in a 1988 Mercury Gran Marquis while Bonnie Roberts of Mansfield was delivering mail there.

Ms. Roberts was partially on the shoulder of the road and partly in the road. The downpour happened suddenly, and Mr. Vastakis said by the time he saw Ms. Roberts, he was going to swerve into the other lane, but there was oncoming traffic. So, he hit the brakes, and slid, hitting Ms. Roberts 1999 Jeep Cherokee, causing extensive damage to both vehicles. Shortly after that there was a report of a power line down (bottom photo) on Rock Eagle Road.

The power pole was snapped in two, and the line went across the road and was laying on the fence. No traffic could go through until a worker with Central Georgia Electric Membership Cooperative was able to cut the power to the line. Power was out to several houses for a few hours.