Wednesday, September 3, 2025
The driver accused in a deadly August 23 crash in Gordon County has been identified and charged following his release from a Tennessee hospital.
Authorities say Matthew Allen Pickens, 44, of Calhoun, crashed head-on into a Dade County family on Rome Road after fleeing law enforcement officers. Pickens was treated at Erlanger Medical Center in Chattanooga before being released into the custody of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, Pickens waived extradition and was transported back to Gordon County, where he was booked into the county jail. He now faces multiple charges, including Homicide by Vehicle, Serious Injury by Vehicle, Fleeing and Eluding Officers, and numerous traffic violations.
Officials delayed publicly releasing Pickens’ identity due to his hospitalization in intensive care.
Records show Pickens has been held in the Gordon County Jail on three previous occasions—in 2020, 2022, and 2023—each time for traffic-related offenses.
The Georgia State Patrol investigated the August 23 crash and filed the current charges.
