MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — A 21-year-old Eatonton man was reportedly seriously injured Friday morning when the car he was driving collided with a tractor-trailer on U.S. Highway 441 North in Baldwin County.

The wreck shut down both southbound lanes of the major highway for about an hour. Motorists were forced to use the turn lane to get around it safely.

The mishap, which happened about 10 a.m. in front of Agee Lawn & Garden, resulted in Justin Alligood, of Eatonton, being taken to the emergency room of Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville, authorities said.

The victim’s girlfriend, Amber Kirkland, also of Eatonton, told The Union-Recorder at the wreck scene that her boyfriend sustained a nose injury and a laceration to the side of his head.

Kirkland said Alligood was driving her Honda Civic at the time of the collision.

A passenger in the car, who identified himself as Deundreious Waller, 20, of Haddock, managed to escape being injured.

Firefighters/first responders with Baldwin County Fire Rescue and personnel with The Medical Center Navicent Health Emergency Medical Services treated Alligood at the scene before he was taken by ambulance to the local hospital.

The truck driver, Daniel Scott, 30, of McRae, said he was preparing to make a right turn into the driveway of Agee Lawn & Garden when the car slammed into the right cab section of the truck.

Scott said he was preparing to make his second of five stops on his delivery route when the wreck happened.

He is a truck driver with Tucker Seed Company, Inc., of McRae.

The crash, which extensively damaged the front end of the car, remained under investigation Friday afternoon by the Georgia State Patrol post in Milledgeville.

Sgt. 1st Class Darrell Dunn, of the local state patrol post, investigated the wreck, as did an officer with the Georgia Department of Public Safety Motor Vehicle Compliance Carrier Division.

Baldwin County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Adams assisted officers with traffic.