A 19-year-old Fairmount man has been identified as the victim in a fatal three-vehicle crash that occurred Wednesday morning in northeast Bartow County.
Bartow County Coroner Joel Guyton confirmed the deceased individual as Noah Chastain, 19, of Fairmount.
According to preliminary findings from the Georgia State Patrol Post 3 in Cartersville, troopers responded to the crash on March 11, 2026, at approximately 11:23 a.m. on GA 61 (Highway 411) at mile marker 25.
The investigation indicates a 2013 Ford pickup traveling north on GA 61 crossed into the southbound lane and struck a tractor-trailer head-on. The impact disabled the tractor-trailer, causing the driver to lose control. The truck then traveled onto the east shoulder and overturned across the highway.
A 2020 Cadillac CT4, also traveling north, attempted to avoid the crash by steering into the southbound lane but was struck by the falling trailer.
Authorities said the tractor-trailer was carrying a load of milk, which spilled during the crash. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was notified.
Chastain, who was driving the Ford pickup, succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to authorities.
The tractor-trailer driver sustained a leg injury, while the driver of the Cadillac was not injured.
The crash caused GA 61 south of Dooley Springs Road to be shut down as the overturned trailer blocked both lanes while crews worked to clear the scene.