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Tuesday wreck sends man to hospital

Staff report

POSTED:March 29, 2007 5:13 a.m.

A Ludowici man remains in critical condition following a two-vehicle wreck that snarled traffic for about an hour Tuesday morning on Airport Road near Briarwood Court, according to Hinesville police.Lt. Max McLendon, who oversees traffic accident investigations for the department, said Howard Gainous, 53, of Allenhurst was driving a 1999 Ford dump truck southbound on Airport Road around 7:30 a.m. when his vehicle was struck from behind by a 1994 Nissan pickup being driven by Brian Franklin Howard, 30, of Ludowici.The impact left Howard seriously injured. He was treated at the scene by Liberty County EMTs and taken to Liberty Regional Medical Center and later flown by LifeStar to Memorial Hospital in Savannah.On Wednesday, McLendon said Howard, who had not been wearing his seatbelt, sustained a brain injury, a broken hip and had to undergo open-heart surgery.His 10-month-old daughter, who was a passenger in the pickup at the time of the wreck, was secured in a child safety seat and was not injured. She was released to a family member.The dump truck driver suffered minor injuries, was treated at the scene and released.No other injuries were reported.The Nissan pickup was destroyed and the dump truck received moderate damage.McLendon also noted a blood sample was taken from Howard and sent to the GBI crime lab. Results are pending.The investigator said speed and possibly drug use are suspected as factors in the wreck.