MARTINEZ, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A five-vehicle accident on Thanksgiving morning sent at least one person to a hospital and got a driver arrested on suspicion of DUI and other offenses.

The crash was reported just before 9:30 a.m. on Old Evans Road near Harden Street, leaving a car in a ditch, at least one with its front side crumpled and a vehicle smoking.

The Georgia State Patrol said its preliminary investigation revealed a Ford F250 driven by Garrett DeVore, 24, of Appling, failed to maintain the lane while traveling north on Old Evans Road.

DeVore’s pickup collided head-on with a northbound vehicle, causing several other vehicles to be struck, according to troopers.

The driver of at least one vehicle was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, troopers said.

DeVore was arrested and charged with failure to maintain lane, driving with a suspended license, driving under the influence and serious injury by a vehicle, according to GSP.

The patrol said it got involved in the investigation at the request of the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office.

In addition to the GSP, the ambulances responded, and all sped off with their sirens on. Three tow trucks were there, too.

The crash came on a busy travel weekend, with more than 1.5 million Georgians planning to drive somewhere for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Authorities said they’d be out trying to keep the roads safe amid the travel surge.

“You’re going to see a tremendous amount more violations than you’d normally see on a regular day,” Sgt. Rodney Rozier said.

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