(Duluth, Georgia)  Yesterday afternoon, the GCPD 911 Center received a phone call from a passerby who stated that a “bad accident” had just occurred at the intersection of Duluth Highway (SR120) and Meadow Church Road in unincorporated Duluth.  The call came in just before 4pm.  The accident involved a Honda motorcycle and a Nissan Altima.

Officers assigned to the Central Precinct along with the Gwinnett County Fire Department were dispatched to the scene.  The officers immediately determined that the driver of the motorcycle was suffering from serious, life-threatening injuries.  Upon arriving at Gwinnett Medical Center (Lawrenceville), the driver of the motorcycle died as a result of his injuries. 

The Accident Investigation Unit was dispatched to the scene to investigate the circumstances of the collision.  The lead investigator determined the following:

• The driver of the Honda motorcycle, Andrew Carson (age 20, Duluth) was traveling westbound on Duluth Highway toward the City of Duluth.  The driver of the Nissan Altima, Raul Rojas (age 43, Duluth) was traveling eastbound on Duluth Highway preparing to turn left onto Meadow Church Road. 

• Rojas told the investigator that he had a flashing yellow left turn arrow, so he began his left turn.  He said that the driver of the motorcycle came toward the intersection at a high rate of speed as he was turning.  The motorcycle struck the side of the Altima, and both vehicles came to an uncontrolled final rest in the southbound lanes of Meadow Church Road. 

Carson was wearing a helmet, and Rojas was using his seatbelt. 

Rojas was transported to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville with serious injuries.  Following the collision, both vehicles were transported to the Gwinnett County Police Department for inspection. 

Carson’s speed may be a contributing factor to the collision.  His speed has not yet been disclosed, but the posted speed limit is 45 mph.