Tow Driver's Death: Man Sentenced for Fatal Crash

David Albert Beaver Jr., 60, has been sentenced to 15 years after pleading guilty to first-degree homicide by vehicle and reckless driving. The conviction stems from a crash on October 19, 2023, on Interstate 575 southbound near Sixes Road, which resulted in the death of tow truck driver Frank Ingram. Beaver's sentence includes one year of confinement, though this may be suspended if he fulfills court-ordered conditions.

These conditions mandate 768 hours of community service collecting roadside litter and 180 days in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center, to be served in increments over several years. Notably, part of this jail time must be served annually on October 19, the anniversary of the crash. Prosecutors presented traffic camera footage showing Ingram responding to a disabled dump truck with his emergency lights activated. While most drivers slowed down or moved over, Beaver allegedly veered across the fog line and struck Ingram, who was dragged approximately 43 feet and died from blunt force trauma. Witnesses reported Beaver's van swerving before the collision. Beaver stated he did not see the tow truck or Ingram until after impact, also mentioning a recent prior crash in Rome.