The victim of a fatal single-vehicle wreck on Butler Bridge Road yesterday morning has been identified as Covington resident Millford Hefton.

Hefton, 47, was driving a dump truck used for construction work when he apparently traveled off the shoulder of the road at approximately 10:54 a.m. said Georgia State Patrol Lt. Paul Cosper. 

"He overcorrected and the vehicle went off into the ditch, overturning," Cosper said.

The vehicle struck a tree at the driveway of 2100 Butler Road, just slightly north of Bethany Road.

Diesel fuel, spilled when the truck overturned, became ignited and a fire broke out in the engine and cab compartment where Hefton was trapped said Newton County Fire Department Chief Tim Smith.

An autoposy will be done to determine the cause of death, Cosper said. The results will take several weeks to come back.

"There's no indication of any kinds of alcohol or drugs being involved but they will do a drug test," he said adding, "It was just very, very unfortunate. I wish things like this didn't happen in our life."

Traffic on Butler Bridge Road was affected from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. yesterday.