Walter Gaspar
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. - A crash at approximately 6:15 a.m. Sept. 1 at the intersection of Hickory Flat Highway and the Interstate 575 northbound on-ramp left one person dead and several others injured, according to the Canton Police Department. The crash also resulted in the arrest of a driver on multiple charges.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found a Ford truck and Jeep Wrangler with extensive damage. Additionally, two people were also trapped inside the Jeep and had to be extricated by Cherokee Fire and Emergency Services.
The driver of the Jeep Wrangler, Walter Gaspar, and the front passenger, Alejandro Ramirez, both sustained serious injuries and were promptly transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.The rear passenger, Juan Lorenzo, was also transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
The driver of the Ford truck, identified as Castro Xquin from Gaithersburg, Maryland, along with three other occupants, were treated at the scene and released. However, the rear middle passenger, Sebastion Mendez, sustained minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for medical care.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the Ford truck was traveling westbound on Hickory Flat Highway when the Jeep Wrangler attempted to make a left turn from the left turn lane onto the I-575 Northbound on-ramp. Witness statements suggested that the Jeep Wrangler driver failed to yield during the turn, resulting in the Ford truck crashing into the Wrangler.
Tragically, on Sept. 2, officers received notification from the Cherokee County Coroner’s Office that Juan Lorenzo, the rear passenger of the Jeep Wrangler, succumbed to his injuries.
In light of the ongoing investigation, Walter Gaspar, the Jeep Wrangler driver, was taken into custody and is currently held at the Cherokee County Detention Center. Gaspar faces multiple charges, including Failure to Obey Traffic Control Devices (O.C.G.A. 40-6-20), Driving Without a Valid License (O.C.G.A. 40-5-20), and Homicide by Vehicle - 2nd Degree (O.C.G.A. 40-6-393).