Kelly Sullivan Killed in Port Wentworth Log Truck Accident on GA 25

Kelly Sullivan, of Bluffton, South Carolina, Died in Collision With Log Truck Making Left Turn into International Paper Mill in Port Wentworth

PORT WENTWORTH, GEORGIA (July 25, 2025) – A woman identified as Kelly Sullivan has tragically died in a Port Wentworth log truck accident in front of the International Paper Mill on GA 25.

Chatham County officials are saying that the accident took place around 3:00 p.m. on Monday. A log truck attempted to make a left turn into International Paper Mill when it turned directly into the path of a BMW driven by Kelly Sullivan.

The BMW driver eventually left the roadway and collided with a tree. Paramedics were called to the scene of the collision to help the victim.

Kelly Sullivan was transported to Memorial Hospital with critical injuries. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.

It remains unclear if the truck driver will face any citations for the fatal crash. A full investigation remains ongoing.

Liability for Port Wentworth Truck Accidents

Commercial trucks can be incredibly dangerous for people in passenger vehicles. Among other things, they have large blind spots that can obscure the presence of other vehicles. According to the FMCSA, from 2020 to 2021, “[t]he number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes increased 18 percent, from 4,821 to 5,700, and the large truck involvement rate (large trucks involved in fatal crashes per 100 million miles traveled by large trucks) increased 8 percent, from 1.62 to 1.74.” Truck drivers should take several measures to avoid collisions.

• Maintenance: Truck drivers should ensure that their vehicles are routinely inspected and well maintained.
• Rest: Truck drivers are required by law to take periodic rest breaks to ensure that they are not fatigued.
• Blind Spots: Truck drivers must check their blind spots when turning in a business or another roadway.

Truck drivers are required to get a commercial license and must operate with an abundance of caution to avoid collisions. Many truck accidents are caused by truck drivers that make dangerous left turns into the path of other vehicles. According to GA Code § 40-6-71, the driver of a vehicle intending to turn left into an intersection or alley shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles approaching from the opposite direction that are close enough to pose a hazard. If a truck driver turns into the path of another vehicle, they could be held at fault through a civil claim.

Depending on the unique facts of any case, there could be numerous sources of liability for any truck accident. This could include the trucking company that employed the truck driver involved in a collision. Employers in Georgia are vicariously liable for the wrongful actions of their employees. It could also include the company responsible for maintaining a truck. Missing reflectors or malfunctioning safety equipment could easily contribute to an accident. Certain steps should be taken after any truck accident in Georgia.

• Police Report: The police should be called to the scene so that they can begin an investigation into what happened.
• Maintenance Records: All maintenance records for the truck involved in the collision should be collected.
• Eyewitnesses: It is fairly common for motor vehicle accidents to be witnessed by multiple people. Their testimony should be recorded and preserved as evidence.
• Medical Evaluation: Any person injured in a truck accident should seek a thorough medical evaluation. Many injuries associated with truck accidents will not be immediately obvious.

Truck accidents are often highly preventable. They tend to be the result of truck drivers that commit traffic infractions. This may be the result of inexperience, fatigue, or several other factors. Some studies have shown that roughly 1 in 10 truck drivers involved in a fatal collision reported feeling under pressure from their carrier. People are more likely to make serious mistakes when they are rushing from one destination to the next. It is essential that the circumstances of any truck accident are properly understood.

Investigating Port Wentworth Truck Accidents

 We at Butler Kahn extend our deepest condolences to the family of Kelly Sullivan. Any person that may have more information about what happened should reach out to authorities. This was a preventable tragedy that should have never taken place. Any person with more information should reach out to the police. Many questions remain unanswered.

Do you need more information about a Port Wentworth truck accident? Our team of truck accident investigators is here to help in any way that we can. We are intimately familiar with all truck accident laws and regulations in Georgia. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at 678-940-1444.

Jeb Butler

Jeb Butler’s career as a Georgia trial lawyer has led to a $150 million verdict in a product liability case against Chrysler for a dangerous vehicle design that caused the death of a child, a $45 million settlement for a young man who permanently lost the ability to walk and talk, and numerous other verdicts and settlements, many of which are confidential at the defendant’s insistence. Jeb has worked on several cases that led to systemic changes and improvements in public safety. He has been repeatedly recognized as a Georgia SuperLawyer and ranks among Georgia’s legal elite. Jeb graduated in the top 10% of his class at UGA Law, argued on the National Moot Court team, and published in the Law Review. He is the founding partner of Butler Kahn law firm. Connect with me on LinkedIn