Authorities say a 1989 Oldsmobile 98, driven by Ashley Chadwick Zellner, which was traveling westbound on Arthur K. Bolton Parkway, struck the 2002 Toyota Tundra being driven by Glenn Atkinson, which was traveling northbound on Hamilton Boulevard, after failing to stop at the intersection’s traffic light.
“Me and that guy right there (Atkinson) hit the light at the same time,” said Earnest Barkley, who witnessed the incident. “I don’t know how the car hit him and not me. As soon as we went through the light, it was like, ‘Bam!’ He (Zellner) didn’t have any lights on or anything.”
Upon beginning his investigation, traffic officer Buddy McBride was told by Zellner’s passenger, Joseph Forbes, that he was the driver.
Witnesses to the collision, however, contradicted Forbes’ story, saying that Zellner was the driver of the vehicle.
According to Barkley, both occupants attempted to leave the scene following the wreck.
“He tried to run - both of them - there were two of them,” Barkley said. “I had already called 911 so I went up there and got them and brought them back.”
Police say two containers of rum, one open and empty, were found in the vehicle at the time of the wreck.
Zellner and Atkinson were both transported by ambulance to Spalding Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment.
Zellner faces charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without headlights, driving with an open alcohol container and failure to obey a traffic-control device.
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