By Joe Johnson
An Athens man reportedly was killed Thursday night when he was struck by a vehicle on a northeastern county highway.
According to the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, 44-year-old Michael Eugene Wilson of Athens was crossing U.S. Highway 29 North near Harve Mathis Road shortly after 8 p.m. when he and one of two women he was with were struck by a southbound GMC Acadia.
Police said that Wilson was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
Though police indicated that 33-year -old Brittany Streetman also had been struck by the SUV, they said she did not report any injuries.
The vehicle was being driven by David Edwards, 42, of Colbert, who was not immediately charged.
An investigation was ongoing Friday afternoon, and police asked for anyone with information concerning the incident to contact Senior Police Officer Joey Lewis at 762-400-7169 or joey.lewis@accgov.com.
ACCPD noted that the incident was the county's 14th highway fatality in 2023.
And this is the road which now has a bike lane. Put in by the same people who refused to put a FireFly Trail bike path on Moores Grove Road because that was a "dangerous high speed road" which couldn't have a bike path more than 6 feet away from the road.
Correction: Mayor Girtz replied that 29 is a state road and that ACC has no control over it. My apology to the Mayor and Commissioners on this issue. I have asked if Mayor Girstz can tell me who we need to contact to have this problem resolved.
We could still use a safe alternate bike route to Hull and ACC can build that if they choose.