A 12-year-old Douglasville boy was thrown from his family’s SUV and killed Friday evening after a tire blew out and the driver, his father, lost control on I-85 near Commerce, police said.
Devin Pierce was riding with four other family members in a 2005 Ford Excursion when the accident occurred shortly after 6 p.m. on I-85 about a mile south of Dry Pond Road (Ga. 82), according to Capt. Paul Cosper of the Georgia State Patrol.
The SUV was in the inner lane of the northbound interstate when its left rear tire blew out, Cosper said. The vehicle ran onto the left shoulder of the highway, then re-entered the roadway, shot across both lanes of traffic and struck a guardrail on the right shoulder.
The Excursion did not hit any other vehicles, but Devin was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected, Cosper said.
Cosper identified the SUV’s other occupants as Devin’s parents Daniel Pierce, 42, and Casondra Pierce, 37; and two relatives whose relationships to the couple were uncertain: Cassy Jones, 20, and her 5-month-old daughter Cassidy Bargnare.
They sustained injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening and were taken to Northridge Medical Center (formerly Banks-Jackson-Commerce Medical Center) in Commerce, Cosper said.
Police were investigating the accident Friday night.
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