Eight inmates injured when transport van driver falls asleep, Georgia cops say
Eight inmates and two deputies were injured when the driver of their transport van dozed off and hit a utility pole, Georgia troopers say.
The crash occurred at about 6:40 a.m. Friday, July 11, along Highway 15 in Sparta, according to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
A Walton County inmate transport van carrying eight inmates was on its way to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office jail when it crashed, Georgia State Patrol said. The driver told troopers he fell asleep at the wheel and crossed the center line.
The van veered off the road and hit a utility pole, according to troopers.
After impact, authorities said the van “continued to travel for 60 feet” before coming to an uncontrolled stop on top of the power pole.
Photos shared by the Sparta Police Department show the van’s windshield partially shattered with significant damage to its front end.
The driver and eight inmates were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Sparta police and state troopers said. Two deputies were also hurt and treated at the scene, according to Georgia State Patrol.
Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.
Sparta is about a 100-mile drive southeast from downtown Atlanta.
This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 2:33 PM with the headline "Eight inmates injured when transport van driver falls asleep, Georgia cops say."