Forsyth County nurse claims she fell asleep before fatal crash on Highway 9
Kayla Proctor. Courtesy of Forsyth County Sheriff's Office
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. - A two-vehicle crash on Highway 9 in Forsyth County turned fatal after one of the drivers later died at the hospital.
The crash occurred on March 6 when 24-year-old Kayla Proctor, a nurse from Woodstock driving home from her third consecutive night shift, admitted to falling asleep behind the wheel and colliding with another vehicle, according to Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.
What we know:
At approximately 8:17 a.m., deputies responded to a two-car crash near 4960 Highway 9. The crash involved a 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by 72-year-old Jean Holbrook of Canton, and a 2017 Volkswagen Passat, driven by Proctor.
Proctor, who worked the night shift at Northside Forsyth Hospital, told authorities that she fell asleep while driving and veered into Holbrook’s lane. She denied using her phone, drugs, alcohol, or any other impairing substances. Deputies at the scene did not observe any signs of impairment.
Holbrook was partially pinned inside her vehicle, but rescuers did not initially see any serious external injuries. She was transported to Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center, where her condition rapidly declined.
When deputies arrived at the hospital around 10:14 a.m. to deliver an incident report to Holbrook, they were told that she had gone into cardiac arrest twice since her arrival. Shortly after, Holbrook went into cardiac arrest for the third time and she was pronounced dead just before 11 a.m.
What we don't know:
Proctor was arrested and charged with homicide by vehicle in the second degree. She was booked into the Forsyth County Jail.
Dig deeper:
According to the American Nurses Association, working a 12-hour shift is standard for many nurses in a hospital setting, typically from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Although the longer shifts mean greater continuity of care for patients and has several benefits for nurses such as less commuting, more time off, and increased pay, there are also drawbacks.
Drawbacks can include limited downtime on workdays, burnout, fatigue, weaker performance and increased errors.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, compared with 8-hour shifts, risks of accidents and errors increase for 10-hour shifts by 13% and 28% for those who work 12-hour shifts.
What's next:
The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office and Traffic Specialist Unit are continuing their investigation into the fatal crash. At this time, it is unknown when Proctor will appear before a judge.