State patrol was trying to stop driver before fatal crash

Published 4:09 pm Wednesday, May 24, 2017

DALTON, Ga. — A woman who was killed when her car crossed the center line on a road in Murray County on Saturday and collided head-on with a vehicle carrying a mother and her four young daughters was being pursued by the Georgia State Patrol after being clocked going 79 in a 55 mile-per-hour zone about one mile from the crash site.

According to the crash report from the state patrol’s post in Calhoun, an officer was attempting to catch up to Olivia Mechelle Rogers Craig, 35, of Chatsworth before she “lost control while negotiating a curve to the right due to her excessive speed” while traveling west on Georgia 282. The vehicle “yawed clockwise for 170 feet while crossing the center line and traveling into the eastbound lane.” The vehicle collided with an SUV driven by Jennifer Shofner of Cumming, 36. Four daughters were passengers. The SUV “was forced backwards and it traveled off the west side of the road, traveling a total of 40 feet after impact, before coming to rest down an embankment … “

Shofner and the children — ages 2, 5, 9 and 11 — were taken to Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton with what the state patrol described as “serious injuries.” A spokeswoman at the Calhoun post said they are recovering.

The wreck happened on 282 a half to three-quarters of a mile south of Smyrna-Ramhurst Road. The report said Craig was operating a 2012 Dodge Avenger “in erratic, reckless, careless, negligent” manner. The report said blood tests for alcohol and drug use were given but the results were pending.

The wreck happened at around 6:27 p.m. According to the report, the wreck occurred as a trooper was attempting to catch up and stop Craig. The wreck was recorded by the trooper’s in-car video recording system.