VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL)--The four people killed on I-75 in Valdosta are identified.
The first accident happened around 10:40 Sunday night. A Honda Accord was headed south when a tire blew out at mile marker 20. Georgia State Patrol troopers say Shelise Evans of Jacksonville, lost control and hit the median barrier. Evans was taken to South Georgia Medical Center.
A Toyota 4Runner then hit the Accord. That driver was airlifted to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with head injuries. Troopers say his name is Carl Biddle. He's from Palatka, Florida.
The crash caused traffic to back up. Ten minutes after the first crash, a another accident occurred. Troopers say a tractor-trailer couldn't avoid impact with other vehicles. The driver, 54-year-old Zemir Malkoc, is from Missouri. He survived. Troopers say a total of eight vehicles with 13 occupants were involved in the second crash.
Three people in a Chevrolet Impala were killed. Their names are Ronald and Tamara Balzer, both from Tennessee. Troopers say they were taking their granddaughter, three-year-old Hayleigh Fowler, back home to Florida. Fowler was also killed.
Troopers say 82-year old Ray Anderson of Florida also died. He was a passenger in a Ford F-150 pick-up truck.
The driver, Steven Anderson, received non life-threatening injuries.
Georgia's Motor Carrier Compliance Division was on the scene of the second crash.
The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is investigating.
