Athens Man Arrested for Fatal DUI Crash in December on Macon Highway

Athens Man Arrested for Fatal DUI Crash in December on Macon Highway
John Fitzhugh Orchard

On January 21, 2025, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department obtained arrest warrants for John Fitzhugh Orchard, 30, of Athens, Georgia, in connection to a fatal crash that occurred on December 17, 2024. Orchard was located and arrested by the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office. He faces charges of Homicide by Vehicle in the First Degree (Felony), Driving Under the Influence, and Following Too Close.

The incident took place around 8:30 PM on Macon Highway near Garden Lane. Investigators determined that Orchard, driving a Toyota MR2 eastbound, collided with the rear of a Jeep Gladiator that had entered the roadway from a driveway. The impact caused the Toyota to leave the roadway, coming to rest in a vacant lot.

The driver of the Jeep, a 30-year-old male from Braselton, Georgia, sustained minor injuries. Orchard, the Toyota’s driver, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. Tragically, the Toyota’s front-seat passenger, 56-year-old Edward Nadeau of Commerce, Georgia, was transported to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident.

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