On Wednesday, February 18, 2026, a devastating multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 South in Macon claimed the lives of a Warner Robins grandmother and her infant grandson, sending shockwaves through the community and closing multiple lanes of the interstate for hours.
The collision occurred at approximately 4:33 p.m. near mile marker 153, close to the Sardis Church Road exit, and involved four vehicles traveling in the left lane: a Chevrolet van, a Ford F-150, a Toyota Corolla, and a Ford F-350 commercial vehicle. According to the Georgia State Patrol, the fatal sequence began when the Ford F-350 struck the Toyota from behind, triggering a chain reaction that caused the Toyota to hit the Ford F-150, which then collided with the Chevrolet van.
The Bibb County Coroner’s Office confirmed the devastating toll: 61-year-old Joann White and her 1-year-old grandson, Zion Thomas, both of Warner Robins, were pronounced dead at the scene. Coroner Leon Jones initially reported the victims as a 61-year-old woman and a 2-year-old boy, but Deputy Coroner Luann Stone later provided the corrected identifications, noting that Zion Thomas would have turned two years old on April 22. Stone confirmed the heartbreaking familial connection, stating that White was the toddler’s grandmother.
Three other individuals were transported to Atrium Health Navicent with injuries: a passenger from the Toyota, the driver of the Ford F-150, and a passenger from the Ford F-350. The driver of the Toyota was also among the deceased, confirming that White was behind the wheel when the chain-reaction crash occurred. The Georgia State Patrol Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team responded to the scene to assist with the investigation, working to determine the precise cause of the initial rear-end impact that led to the catastrophic pileup.
The crash caused significant disruption to evening travel on the busy interstate corridor. According to GDOT’s 511GA website, three left lanes remained blocked for hours following the incident, with an anticipated event end time of 10:30 p.m. Local news outlets, including 41NBC and WGXA, provided continuous coverage as law enforcement and emergency crews worked through the evening to clear the scene and document evidence. The Bibb County Sheriff’s Office coordinated with Georgia State Patrol throughout the response and investigation.
The loss of Joann White and her grandson Zion represents an unimaginable tragedy for their family in Warner Robins, a community approximately 30 miles south of Macon. Deputy Coroner Luann Stone shared the poignant detail that the toddler’s second birthday would have been just two months away, a milestone he will now never reach.
