GEORGIA STATE PATROL NARRATIVE:
On June 9, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm, a trooper from the Gainesville Post of the Georgia State Patrol responded to the intersection of McEver Road and Flat Creek Road to investigation a five-vehicle traffic crash.
Upon arrival, the trooper determined a Buick Verano was traveling south on McEver Road, approaching the intersection of Flat Creek Road. The driver, Joey Ledbetter, 28, of Commerce, was fleeing from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
While fleeing from Hall County, Ledbetter ran the red light on McEver Rd at Flat Creek Rd and struck the rear left drivers’ side of a Toyota Avalon, driven by Sharon Gaddy, 71 of Gainesville, which was traveling east on Flat Creek Road. After the Buick struck the Avalon, it continued south through the intersection before traveling off the west shoulder of the roadway, where it came to an uncontrolled final rest facing east.
Due to the initial impact, the Avalon rotated counterclockwise and struck a Tesla Model 3, driven by 54-year-old Blanca Escobar, of Gainesville, that was stopped in the westbound lane of Flat Creek Road. The rear drivers side tire of the Avalon separated from the vehicle and proceeded to travel south, where it struck the left side rear of Ford Econoline driven by Calvin Akin, 53 of Elberton and a Chevrolet Bolt, driven by Zachery Stern, 36 of Sugar Hill. Akin was traveling north on McEver Road and was stopped at the traffic light of Flat Creek Rd and Stern was stopped behind Akin.
Ledbetter was charged with Driving Under the Influence and other traffic charges related to the pursuit and crash. Ledbetter, Gaddy and Gaddy’s passenger, Randall Smith, 62 of Gainesville, were transported to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Bold also had a passenger, Carolyn Oppenheimer, 41 of Sugar Hill, who was not injured.