A Calhoun man and his 4-year-old daughter remain hospitalized following a three-vehicle wreck Wednesday in northeastern Forsyth County, authorities said.
The child, Akilia Troxtel, was in stable condition at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, said Karleen Chalker with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
Chalker said Cortney Ravee Peardon, 32, was in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center.
The wreck occurred about 2:55 p.m. Wednesday near Anderson Lake Road and the Dawson County line and shut down Hwy. 53 for nearly two hours.
Peardon was traveling west on Hwy. 53 in a 1989 Ford Ranger pickup with his daughter in a passenger-side booster seat, said Sheriff's Cpl. David Garrison.
Garrison said Peardon crossed the centerline, sideswiping an eastbound 2000 Dodge Ram pickup before striking a 2005 Toyota Scion head on.
“The driver in the [Ford] and the passenger ... were ejected and were laying on the road when people first arrived on scene," he said.
“There was a child seat there, but it was an improper seat for her age and size. I think she was in it, but it was improper seat for her to be in, and that's why she got ejected."
Garrison said Peardon was not wearing a seat belt, but all five passengers in the Dodge pickup were, as was the woman driving the Scion.
"They had some minor injuries, but they're all fine," he said of the other six people.
The driver of the Scion, identified in sheriff's reports as Erin Lamaitis of Cumming, later went to a local hospital for evaluation.
The woman driving the Dodge, Maribel Gutierrez of Gainesville, was charged with driving without a license.
No other charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.
Investigators have not determined why Peardon crossed into oncoming traffic, though Chalker said drugs and alcohol are not suspected.
Authorities have said, however, that alcohol and excessive speed likely contributed to a Jan. 31 wreck that occurred at nearly the same spot on Hwy. 53.
Two Forsyth County residents, including a custodian at Chestatee Elementary School, were killed when their vehicle was struck head on by a 2005 Dodge Stratus near Anderson Lake Road.
The violent, nighttime collision also injured three other people.
The child, Akilia Troxtel, was in stable condition at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, said Karleen Chalker with the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
Chalker said Cortney Ravee Peardon, 32, was in critical condition at Atlanta Medical Center.
The wreck occurred about 2:55 p.m. Wednesday near Anderson Lake Road and the Dawson County line and shut down Hwy. 53 for nearly two hours.
Peardon was traveling west on Hwy. 53 in a 1989 Ford Ranger pickup with his daughter in a passenger-side booster seat, said Sheriff's Cpl. David Garrison.
Garrison said Peardon crossed the centerline, sideswiping an eastbound 2000 Dodge Ram pickup before striking a 2005 Toyota Scion head on.
“The driver in the [Ford] and the passenger ... were ejected and were laying on the road when people first arrived on scene," he said.
“There was a child seat there, but it was an improper seat for her age and size. I think she was in it, but it was improper seat for her to be in, and that's why she got ejected."
Garrison said Peardon was not wearing a seat belt, but all five passengers in the Dodge pickup were, as was the woman driving the Scion.
"They had some minor injuries, but they're all fine," he said of the other six people.
The driver of the Scion, identified in sheriff's reports as Erin Lamaitis of Cumming, later went to a local hospital for evaluation.
The woman driving the Dodge, Maribel Gutierrez of Gainesville, was charged with driving without a license.
No other charges have been filed and the investigation is ongoing.
Investigators have not determined why Peardon crossed into oncoming traffic, though Chalker said drugs and alcohol are not suspected.
Authorities have said, however, that alcohol and excessive speed likely contributed to a Jan. 31 wreck that occurred at nearly the same spot on Hwy. 53.
Two Forsyth County residents, including a custodian at Chestatee Elementary School, were killed when their vehicle was struck head on by a 2005 Dodge Stratus near Anderson Lake Road.
The violent, nighttime collision also injured three other people.
