BRYAN COUNTY, Ga. — Four members of the Roundtree family were killed and three children suffered serious injuries after a pickup truck collided with a stopped tractor-trailer in a construction area on Interstate 16 in Bryan County, Georgia.
The September 29, 2026 crash occurred at approximately 2:10 p.m. in the eastbound lanes of I-16 near mile marker 143.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, a 2017 Ford F-250 was traveling east in the right lane when it struck the rear of a 2018 Kenworth tractor-trailer that had stopped because of construction ahead. The force of the collision pushed the Kenworth into a 2015 Mack tractor-trailer that was also stopped in front of it.
The driver of the Ford, a front-seat passenger and a rear-seat passenger were pronounced dead at the scene.
Four juvenile passengers initially survived the collision and were transported to Memorial Health in Savannah with life-threatening injuries. One of those children later died at the hospital.
Victims Identified as Members of Roundtree Family
The Bryan County Coroner’s Office subsequently identified the four people killed as:
- Timothy “Tim” Roundtree, 35, of Twin City, Georgia
- Kelsey Roundtree, 36, Tim’s wife
- Orion Roundtree, 12, their son
- Dr. Hollie Matthews, 49, Tim Roundtree’s aunt
Three of the victims — Tim, Kelsey and Orion Roundtree — were members of the Twin City and Emanuel County community. Hollie Matthews was visiting from Moses Lake, Washington.
The collision has devastated both the Roundtree family and the surrounding community.
Attorney Chris Hall of Hall & Lampros in Atlanta said:
“My heart goes out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this devastating crash on I-16, and to everyone who was injured or otherwise affected by this tragedy. Having represented individuals and families in serious truck and commercial vehicle accident cases, I have seen firsthand how suddenly these crashes can change lives forever. Behind every headline are families facing unimaginable loss, pain, and uncertainty. On behalf of myself and everyone at Hall & Lampros, we extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones and wish strength and healing to those who were injured.”
Emanuel County Institute Mourns Orion Roundtree
Orion Roundtree was a seventh-grade student at Emanuel County Institute and a member of the school’s band.
Emanuel County Institute publicly mourned the loss of the 12-year-old, describing Orion as a young man who was “full of spirit” and showed kindness to those around him.
The school’s loss adds another dimension to a tragedy that has affected relatives, classmates, teachers and members of the broader Emanuel County community.
Three Surviving Children Awake and Communicating
Although the three surviving children suffered substantial injuries, updates provided by their family have offered some encouraging news. Family members reported on October 1 that all three children were alive, awake and able to communicate.
According to the family’s support page, the two younger children suffered multiple fractures to their extremities. The oldest surviving child underwent emergency surgery for a torn section of bowel and is expected to require additional surgeries for facial injuries, including a fractured jaw.
The family reported that the child’s vision was preserved.
A subsequent October 2 update described continued progress. The youngest child was working with physical therapists and had been able to stand on his uninjured leg and move into a chair. His sister was able to use a wheelchair to travel around the hospital and visit her brothers.
The oldest child was also able to stand, with the family reporting that swelling had decreased and that his ability to communicate and speak was improving.
The children nevertheless face what appears likely to be a lengthy period of treatment and rehabilitation.
Dr. Hollie Matthews Was a Longtime Family Physician
Dr. Hollie Matthews was a physician from Moses Lake, Washington, who had practiced family medicine for approximately two decades.
In 2025, Matthews opened Eudaimonia Medical Spa in Moses Lake, where she provided direct primary care and other medical services. She previously worked with Columbia Basin Family Medicine.
Matthews had spoken publicly about her commitment to continuing to care for patients despite experiencing significant health challenges of her own following a concussion several years earlier.
She was identified by relatives as Tim Roundtree’s aunt.
Family Raises Support for Funeral and Medical Expenses
Members of the Roundtree family have established a public support fund to assist with funeral expenses, continuing medical treatment for the surviving children and other costs resulting from the crash. As of this publication the fund had raise $42,250.98.
The family has also indicated that some of the children may eventually be relocated from Georgia to the Pacific Northwest as relatives work to determine their long-term care.
The response from the community has been substantial, with hundreds of people contributing financial assistance, messages of support and other resources to the family.
Crash Occurred as Tractor-Trailers Were Stopped for Construction
The circumstances surrounding the collision remain particularly significant because both commercial trucks were reportedly stopped in the travel lane due to construction ahead.
Georgia State Patrol’s preliminary investigation indicates that the Kenworth and Mack tractor-trailers were stopped in the right lane before the Ford F-250 collided with the rear of the Kenworth.
The Kenworth was then pushed forward into the Mack.
The Georgia State Patrol continues to investigate the collision.
Authorities have not publicly announced a final determination regarding all of the factors that contributed to the crash.
Construction-Zone Truck Crashes Can Require Extensive Investigation
Crashes involving commercial trucks and active roadway construction can involve considerably more evidence than an ordinary passenger-vehicle collision.
Investigators may examine vehicle data, physical evidence from the roadway, driver actions, sight distances, traffic congestion, construction-zone configuration, warning signs, lane closures and the positioning and movement of each vehicle before impact.
Commercial vehicles may also contain electronic control module information and other records that can assist investigators in reconstructing the sequence of events.
The fact that a crash involves a tractor-trailer, however, does not by itself establish that the truck driver or trucking company was responsible. Liability can only be determined after the facts and available evidence are carefully evaluated.
In this case, the Georgia State Patrol has described its findings as preliminary, and the investigation remains ongoing.
A Family and Community Facing an Extraordinary Loss
The deaths of Tim Roundtree, Kelsey Roundtree, Orion Roundtree and Dr. Hollie Matthews have left a family facing an almost unimaginable loss while simultaneously caring for three children recovering from major injuries.
For the surviving children, the October 2 update provided reasons for hope: each was making progress, communicating with family members and beginning the difficult process of physical recovery.
The Georgia truck accident attorneys listed on TruckAccidentAttorneyNetwork.org extends their deepest condolences to the Roundtree and Matthews families, as well as Orion’s classmates, teachers and friends at Emanuel County Institute. We also wish the three surviving children strength and continued progress in their recovery.
The Georgia State Patrol investigation into the I-16 collision remains ongoing.
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