Alcohol was a factor in a two-vehicle wreck on Martha Berry Highway on Thursday afternoon that resulted in two people being taken to the hospital, according to Georgia State Patrol troopers.

According to trooper Doug Shamblin:

A white Chrysler Town and Country minivan driven by Thelma Ray of Calhoun was traveling south on U.S. 27 and was in the center turn lane waiting to turn left onto Violet Street just south of the Piggly Wiggly when a green Buick LeSabre ran into the rear of the van.

The driver of the Buick, Carrie Ladonna Payton of Collinsville, Ala., then drove the car down Violet Street to an entrance to the shopping center.

Witnesses said she got out of the car, threw a can of beer into a nearby ditch and then entered the Dollar General store where she bought a case of bottled water and began drinking them prior to state troopers’ arrival.

Ray and an unknown male passenger were taken to Redmond Regional Medical Center with minor injuries.

Shamblin said he had heard Floyd dispatchers give a lookout for a dark-colored Buick LeSabre driving erratically heading north on U.S. 27 around Ga. 140.

He then heard the wreck call at about 3:45 p.m. and arrived on the scene where he observed Payton inside the car with an open container of beer and took her into custody.

Shamblin said Payton would be charged with DUI, hit and run, open container violation, failure to maintain lane and following too closely.