Newton Citizen

COVINGTON - A man was killed in a one-vehicle crash on Butler Bridge Road Tuesday morning, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

Milford Hefton, 47, of Covington was pronounced dead at the scene after the dump truck he was driving struck a tree and burst into flames about 11 a.m.

According to GSP Trooper Richard Thacker, Hefton was traveling south on Butler Bridge Road near the intersection of Bethany Road when a trailer he was pulling behind the dump truck left the roadway and went onto the shoulder of the road. Thacker said the driver tried to correct the problem and get the trailer back onto the roadway, but instead the truck was pulled off the road, as well. It turned over and the truck struck the tree and caught fire.

Lt. Mark Mitchell of the Newton County Sheriff's Office said deputies initially responded to the scene after a call came in saying there was a vehicle accident involving a dump truck. The truck was on fire when deputies arrived and it was confirmed there was a fatality, he said.

The GSP was called to complete the accident investigation, which is ongoing.

An Oregon native, Hefton leaves behind a wife and four children. He has been in the trucking business for more than 20 years and was employed as a truck driver for Scott Harper Trucking and in a part-time capacity for War Trucking. He was co-owner of The Lawn Ranger Lawn Service Company. For more on Hefton, see his obituary on page 5A of today's Citizen.

Barbara Knowles can be reached at barbara.knowles@newtoncitizen.com.