A driver who left the scene of an accident was killed when a vehicle hit a metal pole, split in two and caught fire early Thursday outside a northeast Atlanta Kroger grocery store, police said.

Just before 1 a.m., a 2008 Honda on Ponce de Leon Avenue struck another vehicle from behind and did not stop, Atlanta police spokeswoman Officer Kim Jones said.

The driver passed Ponce City Market, continued east and lost control of the Honda. That’s when the vehicle hit the metal utility pole.

“The impact caused the vehicle to split and immediately catch fire” at the intersection of Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ponce de Leon Place, which is in front of the Kroger, Jones said. “The driver likely died upon impact.”

A pedestrian was struck by debris, but was not seriously injured.

The driver’s name and other details were not released.

About the Author

Keep Reading

David Neeley poses with a copy of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and an old photo of newspaper carriers, including him, at a newspaper distribution branch in  Marietta. The AJC has 333 carriers for weekday editions; they drive more than 14,000 miles per night. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com

Featured

Tracy Woodard from InTown Cares (left) and Lauren Hopper from Mercy Care organization work with residents at the Copperton Street encampment in August 2024. 
(Miguel Martinez / AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez