THOMSON - A 26-year-old Columbia County man was critically injured Sunday afternoon when the driver of a pickup truck pulled into his path on a rural road in McDuffie County, authorities said.
Trooper Willie Ramsey of the Georgia State Patrol Post in Thomson identified the injured man as Quentin Martin, of Harlem. Mr. Martin was taken by helicopter to the Medical College of Georgia Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition Sunday with head and other internal injuries, a hospital spokeswoman said.
The crash occurred shortly before 2 p.m. in the 600 block of Boneville Road.
Mr. Martin could also be facing drug charges, police said. A large plastic bag containing several smaller bags of what is believed to have been marijuana was found on Mr. Martin, Trooper Ramsey said.
A Ford F-150 pickup truck, driven by Matthew Isaiah James, of the 1200 block of Ponderosa Drive, Thomson, was preparing to make a left turn into the driveway of a friend's residence, according to police. Mr. Martin's Honda 600 motorcycle struck the right side of the truck, left the roadway and flipped several times before slamming into a utility pole.
Mr. James was charged with failure to yield right of way and driving with defective tires, Trooper Ramsey said. Charges also are pending against Mr. Martin, he said.
