CLARKESVILLE, Ga. — A Cleveland man faces possible charges following a single-vehicle rollover wreck Monday afternoon on GA 197 north of Clarkesville. The wreck seriously injured a passenger in the vehicle, according to the Georgia State Patrol.
The crash happened around 5:39 p.m. June 1 on GA 197 just north of Mill Creek Road.
State troopers say 39-year-old Marcus Broom was driving a Toyota 4Runner southbound when he failed to maintain his lane while negotiating a left-hand curve. The SUV traveled off the opposite side of the roadway, overturned and came to rest on its passenger side. Deputies said a tree likely prevented the vehicle from continuing into a creek below the crash site.
54-year-old Stephanie Bradley of Cleveland was seriously injured in the wreck. Habersham County EMS transported Bradley and Broom to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville for treatment.
The GSP Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team responded to assist with the investigation. Troopers said impairment is suspected as a contributing factor in the wreck.
911 call and quick response
A passerby reported seeing the driver walking along the roadway after the crash. Deputies located him approximately 100 feet south of the wreck site and were directed to the overturned SUV, where they found the injured passenger.
Bradley was covered in blood when first responders arrived, said Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Lt. George Cason. K-9 Deputy Holden Helcher and his canine partner, Bane, were among the first on the scene.
“Deputy Helcher was here. He actually was able to attain his first aid kit and rendered aid, was able to bandage her wounds up until medical units could get on scene to properly treat her,” Cason said.
Lt. Cason praised the actions of responding deputies who helped remove the woman from the wreckage and provided emergency care until paramedics arrived.
“The deputies that showed up on scene did a fantastic job as far as removing her from the scene, getting her up here so that way she could be checked out and evaluated and given the medical treatment that she needed,” Cason said.
Helcher’s quick response proved invaluable.
“Deputy Helcher is a very big asset to this situation because he was readily prepared for the situation,” Cason said. “He knew exactly where his med packet was and everything, and was able to actually sustain her until she could get treated by medical personnel on scene.”
Deputies regularly train in emergency medical response, including Stop the Bleed and CPR, because law enforcement officers are often among the first to arrive at wrecks.
The crash intermittently shut down a section of GA 197 North near the crash site for several hours as GSP investigated and a tow truck cleared the wreckage.
Possible charges are pending.
