DALTON, Ga. — A Dalton man faces a first-degree homicide by vehicle charge stemming from a single-vehicle wreck on Reed Road in Whitfield County Tuesday afternoon.

Georgia State Patrol Cpl. E. Tommy Bonaparte said Davey Joe Vineyard, 56, of 325 Izlar Way, was picked up by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office at Hamilton Medical Center on Wednesday. A witness had described the driver as having a bleeding gash on his forehead.

According to the Whitfield County coroner’s office, the passenger who was killed was Kerry Walker, 42, of Dalton.

Vineyard is also charged with hit and run resulting in serious injury or death, driving with a suspended or revoked license, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, duty upon striking a fixed object and failure to report an accident resulting in injury, death or property damage, according to a booking report.

Bonaparte said Vineyard was driving a Cadillac north on Reed Road and went into the southbound lane coming over a hill. Vineyard overcorrected and the car went off the shoulder of the road, with the vehicle rotating counterclockwise and hitting a tree on the driver’s side. The passenger was killed instantly.

Authorities had searched for the driver, who left the scene on foot, Tuesday evening. State Trooper Abraham Chiesa said the wreck just south of Rauschenberg Road in the northwest corner of the county appeared to have been caused by a combination of reckless driving and speed. Chiesa said witnesses heard loud acceleration as the Cadillac approached the hill.

The wreck was reported at 1:41 p.m.

Vineyard remained in the county jail Wednesday evening.