Georgia man dies in Walton wreck

WALTON COUNTY — Heavy traffic resulted in a fatal wreck Monday afternoon.

The wreck happened at 12:40 p.m. on U.S. Highway 331 and Coy Burgess Rd., according to a media release from the Florida Highway Patrol.

Columbus, Ga. resident Nicholas T. Powell, 31, was the passenger in a 4-door Suzuki that swerved into oncoming traffic to avoid rear-ending the bus in front of it.

Alysia Michelle Coppins, 40, the driver of the Suzuki, was driving behind a northbound bus on Hwy. 331. The bus had to break suddenly because of traffic ahead of it. When Coppins, also a Columbus resident, steered to the left, she entered southbound traffic and was hit by a 1997 Ford pickup truck driven by DeFuniak Springs resident John Martin, 53.

Powell was taken to Health Mark Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. Coppins was taken to the medical center with serious injuries. Martin sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention. All were wearing seatbelts.

he wreck closed the southbound lane and limited traffic in the northbound lane of Hwy. 331 for several hours.

According to the release, charges are pending an investigation.