Witnesses tell troopers vehicle was speeding before fatal accident

Witnesses told Georgia State Patrol troopers the driver of a vehicle that rear-ended another truck, causing a four-vehicle crash that later killed a Laurens County man, was traveling at a high rate of speed before impact.

On Thursday, the GSP released its report on the July 23 accident on U.S. 441 South, near its intersection of John Vaughn Road, that led to 59-year-old Paul Anderson Mulling Jr.’s death four days later.  

According to the report, Justin Wayne King, 42, of Dublin, was driving a white 2020 Dodge Ram 2500 truck behind a gold 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, driven by Mulling, at 1:57 p.m. that day, as both were heading north on 441 South in a construction zone, where the four-lane highway had been reduced to two lanes. Also traveling north were a silver 2019 Jeep Renegade, driven by Telisha Renee Ward, 36, of Tifton, behind a maroon 2014 Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Derack Anthony Fulford, 35, that was pulling a trailer and transporting two other people. 

The Chevrolet, Jeep and Mulling’s Dodge came to a stop due to road construction. The Dodge driven by King struck the back of the other Dodge. After impact, Mulling’s Dodge came to an uncontrolled rest in a grassy lot off the west shoulder of 441 South. The white Dodge continued north, striking the back of the Jeep and causing it to strike the Chevrolet’s trailer. The Jeep and Chevrolet came to a controlled rest in the northbound lane, while King’s Dodge came to an uncontrolled rest on the west shoulder of the highway.

A trooper said King informed them that “he had just ended a phone call when he saw traffic had stopped in front of him.” He did not recall seeing the vehicle’s brake lights and did not have time to stop before striking the Dodge and Jeep from behind.

The driver of the Jeep told the trooper that they had stopped in construction because she believed someone was turning. Ward said she saw King’s Dodge come up behind her and hit her vehicle, causing her vehicle to hit the trailer being pulled by the Chevrolet. 

Fulford said he stopped for road construction and noticed the white Dodge coming up from behind at a high rate of speed. He told his two passengers to “hold on because they were about to get hit.” He said the white Dodge hit the gold Dodge before striking the Jeep that ended up hitting their trailer.

Two witnesses spoke with the GSP. One saw the white Dodge passing vehicles at a high rate of speed. Another witness did not see the initial impact of the crash but saw the gold Dodge leave the roadway like it had been hit at a high rate of speed by another vehicle. That same witness said the white Dodge was traveling at a high rate of speed before the crash happened.

Mulling was transported to Fairview Park Hospital before being taken to a Macon hospital. Joel Grist, attorney for Cynthia Mulling, said Mulling was surrounded by his family in the ICU at Atrium Navicent The Medical Center when he passed away around 4:30 p.m. Sunday, July 27.

The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team was called in to assist troopers at the scene. Charges are pending the completion of the investigation of the SCRT.