The Georgia State Patrol has now identified the driver of a new Dodge Ram that crashed and burned on I-75 South near Dalton on June 6 as well-known auto dealer Joseph Edward "Joe" Kirby, 67.
The Patrol said earlier that the vehicle involved in the wreck on a Monday afternoon belonged to the Edd Kirby Adventureland car dealership in Dalton.
A number of people in the auto industry earlier said they believed the driver was Mr.
Kirby.
The Patrol said the Dodge was traveling south in the left lane when the vehicle suddenly ran off the right side of the road. The vehicle continued to travel south and hit the first concrete bridge support under the Georgia Highway 3 overpass with the front right of the vehicle.
After the impact, the Dodge continued south and struck the second concrete bridge support with its front end.
After this impact, the vehicle rotated in a clockwise direction and rotated facing north.
The Dodge then caught on fire and became fully engulfed in flames so that emergency personnel were not able to get close to it.
The patrol said no brake marks or skid marks were observed.
There was no evidence that a second vehicle was involved.
A wheel assembly was located approximately 100-150 yards south of the area where the Dodge came to rest.
A witness said the Dodge appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed in the left lane just before drifting off to the right side of the road.
There are Adventureland dealerships in both Dalton and on MLK Boulevard in Chattanooga.
Mr. Kirby is survived by his wife Becky and their two children Robert and Beth as well as his three granddaughters Emmy, Julianne, and Eulalie. He is also survived by his sister Kitty and his nieces Kimberly and Angela as well as his sister-in-law Brenda.
Family members said, "In addition to his family, he is survived by a lifetime of people he’s impacted that loved him dearly.
"For those of you that didn’t know him, you might have known him as Adventure Joe, owner of Edd Kirby’s Adventure Auto Group and the cartoon-like character people loved to hate for his silly commercials on the radio. But he was so, so much more than that to his family. He really was Adventure Joe.
"A McCallie graduate class of ‘72 and an alum of University of Tennessee Knoxville, he made the local paper for being the first to ever jump off a mountain in Chattanooga in a hang glider. When sea-doos came out he souped one up and had one of the first and certainly the fastest on the lake, which he would ride around on with his labrador, Beau, who loved it as much as Joe did.
From ultra-light planes to helicopters to bungee jumping, skydiving, dirt bikes, sail boats, and motorcycles, Joe never stopped going fast and being fearless. He was a pilot, a captain, a devoted husband, a generous business owner, and a wonderful father. He taught those in his life how to be adventurous too. All of our lives would have been smaller without him. But his adventurous spirit manifested in ways so much deeper than just being willing to jump out of a plane or sail the open sea.
"He fearlessly loved God with all his heart. His faith was the cornerstone of who he was. He never hesitated to take care of an employee or family member that needed him. He conducted business with a relentless integrity that inspired us all. Among countless acts of kindness he, completely anonymously, helped the late, beloved Sandy the Flower man get a full mouth of pearly white teeth so his warm smile could shine. He participated in the Big Brother program passionately for his little brother Brandon’s entire life since he was four, and each Christmas would leave our family to go be with theirs too. Brandon is now 23, and Joe loved he and his family.
"Of all the things he did, loving his wife was the most epic story of them all. Married for over forty years, they had a passionate partnership in life, love, and business.
"He was indeed larger than life. A rare personality that while missed will continue to shape the world and community. He was big hearted and the least judgmental person any of us ever knew."
A memorial service will be held on July 8 at 3 p.m. with visitation from 1 p.m. until service time at the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory, and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.