Note: A spelling error on the name of the gentleman who was killed has been corrected. I apologize for the error. – KtE

A multi-vehicle wreck involving a tractor-trailer and two pickup trucks caused the death of a elderly Cedartown man on Friday afternoon and blocked traffic in the area of the Polk County Fairgrounds for hours while Georgia State Patrol’s SCRT were called out to investigate, and the cleanup from the fiery crash as well that saw the 18-wheeler involved flipped over.

Georgia State Patrol reported that Harold Grogan Gary, 84, of a Cedartown address, was driving a 2009 Dodge Dakota and was stopped in the left turn lane of the intersections at the Highway 27 bypass and the crossover to the Polk County Fairgrounds around 3:52 p.m. on Friday, September 10.

A tractor-trailer was traveling in the left lane southbound approaching the intersection, along with a Dodge Ram 3500 pulling a trailer in the right lane also traveling southbound.

Per the GSP’s report so far, Gary attempted to make a left turn as the two vehicles were coming his way, and turned into the path of the tractor-trailer.

The driver of the 18-wheeler attempted to swerve right to avoid Gary’s truck, and struck the left side of the Dodge Ram 3500. Unable to move out of the way, Gray’s Dodge Dakota was struck head-on by the tractor-trailer.

During this time, the driver of the Dodge Ram 3500 left the westside of the road and came to a final rest, along with Gary’s truck which also ended up on the westside of the roadway and came to a rest facing westbound.

The wreck ended with the Dodge Dakota catching fire, the tractor-trailer ended up on its right side after swerving off the road toward the west.

Gary was pronounced dead on the scene by the Polk County Coroner’s office.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Lester C. Litesey Funeral Home in Cedartown. An obituary was not ready as of this posting.

Check back for any additional details as they become available.