An unborn child was killed and a toddler was seriously injured when a driver smashed head-on into the car they were riding in, police said.
Christina Barnum, 22, of Auburn, was taken to a hospital after the crash that caused the death of her unborn child Sunday, Gwinnett County police said.
Barnum was driving a blue Toyota 4Runner northbound on Winder Highway near Franklin Drive in Dacula about 8 p.m., police spokeswoman Cpl. Michele Pihera said. Joseph Barnum, 23, and Jason Barnum, 2, were in the car with her.
Charles Rutledge, 37, of Lilburn, was driving in a white Nissan Titan going the opposite direction, Pihera said. Rutledge crossed the double yellow lines and sideswiped a gray Nissan Sentra that was driving directly in front of Barnum, she said. Then, he hit Barnum’s 4Runner head-on.
All of the passengers in the 4Runner were taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Investigators determined that Christina Barnum’s unborn child died as a result of the crash.
Authorities said Joseph Barnum is stable, but the conditions of Jason Barnum, Christina Barnum and Rutledge were not released.
Pihera said Rutledge was suspected of being under the influence of alcohol during the time of the crash. He has not been charged.
“This is the second traffic collision that has resulted in the death of an unborn baby in the past few weeks,” Pihera said.
The other crash happened March 11 on Buford Highway near Amwiler Road. The driver involved in that accident has not been charged.
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