Flowery Branch man killed in wreck on U.S. 441 in Commerce

By Staff

COMMERCE - We now know the names of the victims of Monday's crash on Highway 441 in Commerce, and two of them are from Hall County.

Officials with the Georgia State Patrol said 57-year-old Israel Contreras-Alvarez of Flowery Branch was killed when he lost control of a pick-up truck and overturned just north of Highway 98.

They said 37-year-old Oscar Vallejo, Jr. of Gainesville was injured in the crash as was 30-year-old Israel Contreras-Partida of Dade City, Florida.

GSP officials said the pick-up truck was pulling a trailer which began to sway, causing Contreras-Alvarez to lose control.

They said that's went he went off the shoulder of the road, struck a ditch and overturned.

Authorities said the Contreras was partially ejected and was pronounced dead on the scene. They said the two passengers were transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center for treatment.

Although the trailer was filled with mulch, officials said none of it spilled onto the roadway. Nonetheless, one lane of the highway was shut down for over an hour while authorities cleared the scene.

GSP officials said officials with the City of Commerce also responded to the crash.