Fortson man dies after crash with city vehicle on River Road, coroner says

A Fortson, Ga., man is dead after his vehicle collided with a city truck on River Road near Willett Drive, authorities said.

James Gibson, 63, was pronounced dead at 9:31 a.m. Thursday of blunt force trauma in the emergency room of Piedmont Columbus Regional’s midtown campus, said Muscogee County Deputy Coroner Charles Newton. His body was transported to the crime lab Decatur for an autopsy but no results were available Friday afternoon, said Coroner Buddy Bryan.

Newton said Gibson was southbound in a silver Mercedes about 8:28 a.m. when his vehicle collided with a Columbus Consolidated Government vehicle that picks up tree limbs and other inert yard waste. Part of the silver Mercedes was beneath the trailer of the city vehicle.

On Facebook, Gibson was described as the owner of FoneMart with four locations in the surrounding area. He studied at Columbus State University after going to Carver High School.

The crash remains under investigation by the Motor Squad of the Columbus Police Department.

This story was originally published January 31, 2019 at 12:38 PM.