10 people killed in holiday traffic wrecks

By Alexis Stevens and Larry Hartstein

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ten people died in Georgia traffic wrecks over the holiday weekend, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

The agency had estimated 18 would die in the 78-hour period that ran from 6 p.m. Thursday through midnight Sunday.

One of the fatalities was in Cartersville, another in Cobb County.

Late Saturday night, a 50-year-old pedestrian was running across Austell Road near Roberta Drive when he was hit by a Ford F-250, Cobb County police said. Tomas Hernandez of Marietta was rushed to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Hernandez was not in a designated crosswalk, and the driver has not been charged. The accident remains under investigation.

There were 2,648 crashes with 699 injuries.

Last year, 15 people died in Georgia wrecks during the same time period.