CORDELE — CORDELE — A 71 year old Bryceville, FL man perished in an early Thursday morning vehicular fire on I-75, according to Georgia State Patrol reports.

Coroner Jimmy Rainey said William Willard Waters was traveling southbound at the 102 exit when he lost control of the tractor trailer he was driving, struck a guardrail and ruptured a fuel tank.

According to Sgt Stalnaker of the GSP Post 30 Waters was in the right lane of the southbound traffic and, for reasons unknown, traveled off the west side of the roadway and hit the first guardrail. The truck then proceeded to travel approximately 254 ft. taking out numerous guardrails before coming to rest on a guard rail facing east when the truck erupted into flames.

When Cordele Police Sergeant Jeremy Taylor arrived on the scene shortly before 4:30 a.m., he said the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames.

The cab of the truck was destroyed, and Mr. Waters, who was a driver for ABF Freight System, suffered fatal burns in the incident. According to GSP reports no other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Earlier in the week on Monday, August 17 just aftern noon troopers responded along with Cordele Police and Crisp County EMS to a two-vehicle accident on Highway 41 just north of the Cordele Farmer’s Market.

The collision occured when a 1996 Mercury Sable driven by 51-year old James Larry Gladney pulled into the path of a 21-year old Shaylonda Brown.

Apparently Gladney and his passenger Jacob Haman, 38, were leaving the Sunrise Motel heading west when trying to cross 41 he was struck by Brown.

Brown, along with passenger Joe Trotter, 34, were transported by Crisp County EMS to Crisp Regional Hospital. Haman was also transported but there were no injuries.

Gladney who was not injured in the accident, appeared to be intoxicated and refused chemical testing.