A Hephzibah woman is facing criminal charges in connection with a fatal crash that claimed the life of her unrestrained passenger, according to the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. Basheenia Lee, 48, was formally charged on Wednesday with second-degree vehicular homicide and failure to maintain lane, stemming from a May 29 accident on Interstate 20.
She was released shortly after on a $2,200 bond. Investigators say the early morning crash occurred around 6:30 a.m. near mile marker 189, just west of Horizon South Parkway. According to the accident report, Lee admitted she fell asleep at the wheel while driving eastbound in the outer lane.
Her 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck drifted off the roadway’s south edge, which jolted her awake. In a panic, she overcorrected, swerving sharply to the left and crossing all lanes of traffic before slamming into the north guardrail.
The impact caused Lee’s truck to ricochet back into traffic, where it collided with a 2018 Kia Soul driven by 20-year-old Zacharia Nolen of Grovetown. The pickup then rotated and rolled approximately three times, ultimately ejecting Lee’s passenger, 40-year-old Mario Mallory of White Plains, Georgia.
Mallory, who was not wearing a seatbelt, sustained critical injuries in the crash. He was transported to Doctors Hospital, where he died on June 4. Nolen’s vehicle was forced off the road, crossing the south shoulder and a ditch before coming to rest in the median. Details about Nolen’s condition were not included in the report.
Authorities determined Lee was at fault for the crash and noted further complications regarding the status of the pickup truck. The vehicle reportedly had a canceled registration, and investigators found its ownership had changed years earlier, leaving insurance coverage unclear.
Mallory, affectionately known to loved ones as “Toot,” was a well-known and respected member of his community. A 2004 graduate of Greene County High School, he worked at Jim Whitehead Tires in Evans and founded his own business, Mallory Auto Service. He was a lifelong member of Flat Rock Missionary Baptist Church.
Remembered for his dedication to family and entrepreneurial spirit, Mallory is survived by his mother, Anglette Mallory; eight children; one grandson; three brothers; one sister; and a large extended family. As the investigation concludes, the tragedy serves as a somber reminder of the importance of driver alertness and seatbelt use for all vehicle occupants.