2 persons of interest sought after hit-and-run with Cherokee County school bus
Two persons of interest are wanted after a driver hit a Cherokee County school bus head-on and ran away Tuesday morning, authorities said.
Jordan Robert Henry Payne, 22, of Dawsonville, and Timothy James Lee Kimbarl, 17, of Dahlonega, are both wanted for questioning in connection with the case, Cherokee sheriff’s Capt. Jay Baker said in a news release.
The incident happened on Hightower Road in Ball Ground before 6:30 a.m., AJC.com previously reported. A Honda Accord crossed the center line and hit the bus, Baker said.
RELATED: Driver hits school bus head-on in Cherokee County, runs away
The bus left the roadway and slid down an embankment, Baker said. One student was on board the bus at the time, and neither the student nor the bus driver was hurt, Cherokee school district spokeswoman Barbara Jacoby said. The road was closed until about 9 a.m.
The driver of the Accord got out and ran away, Baker said.
A vehicle was also reported stolen from near the scene later that morning. The stolen car is a burgundy 2004 Chevrolet Venture van with the Georgia tag RRW9285.
Anyone who spots that vehicle is asked to call 911, but it isn’t known whether the van’s driver is involved with the hit-and-run, Baker said.
Anyone with information on the persons of interest is asked to call 911 or the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office at 770-720-7079.
About the Author
Zachary Hansen, a Georgia native, covers economic development and commercial real estate for the AJC. He's been with the newspaper since 2018 and enjoys diving into complex stories that affect people's lives.
