Gordon County District Attorney Erle J. Newton III announced the sentencing of a Calhoun man responsible for a series of deadly motorcycle collisions on U.S. 411 in 2023.
Ronald Grady Dickson, 76, pled guilty and was sentenced on October 30 to 10 years in prison followed by 15 years on probation for a chain of crashes that killed two people and seriously injured several others.
The incident occurred on September 17, 2023, around 2:00 p.m., when Dickson, driving a pickup truck northbound on U.S. 411, struck three motorcycles traveling ahead of him. Investigators with the Georgia State Patrol determined he was under the influence of alcohol and driving at an estimated 70 miles per hour.
Dickson first hit a motorcycle operated by 83-year-old Henry Dodd, throwing Dodd from the vehicle and pushing his bike into an oncoming car. Dodd later died from complications related to the crash.
Dickson continued traveling north, colliding next with a motorcycle ridden by Heather and Christopher Bearden. Their bike became lodged in the front of his truck. Heather Bearden died en route to the hospital, and her husband suffered catastrophic injuries, including the loss of both legs.
A third motorcycle, carrying Rachel and Edmund Wills, was also struck. Both were thrown from the bike and injured. Authorities reported that Dickson drove roughly six more miles before being stopped by the Fairmount Police chief. The Beardens’ motorcycle remained crushed into the front of his truck when officers detained him.
The Gordon County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia State Patrol assisted in the investigation, and the State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team documented extensive skid marks showing Dickson had failed to maintain his lane and continued driving despite the embedded motorcycle.
Assistant District Attorney Connor W. Dooley prosecuted the case, supported by Victim Advocate Mackenzie Guinn. Several victims and family members addressed Superior Court Judge Rosemary Greene during sentencing, describing the enduring emotional and physical toll of the crash. They shared memories of Henry Dodd and Heather Bearden and spoke of their ongoing grief. One survivor expressed prayers for Dickson and his family despite the trauma.
District Attorney Newton called the case “shocking,” emphasizing the devastating consequences of impaired driving: “These innocent people were enjoying a Sunday drive in the country, having no idea they would be plowed over out on 411.”
Dickson pled guilty to First-Degree Vehicular Homicide, multiple counts of Serious Injury by Vehicle, DUI, Reckless Driving, and Hit and Run. He told the court he prays daily for the victims and their families.
