A tow truck driver was hit on I-285 when he stopped to help a stranded driver early Friday, Sandy Springs police said.

The vehicle that hit the man, identified by police as 26-year-old Darrell Simpson of Marietta, reportedly did not stop and continued west on I-285. Simpson was rushed to a hospital, where he was in critical condition, Sandy Springs police Sgt. Sam Worsham said.

The accident happened around 2 a.m. in the westbound lanes near Riverside Drive. Simpson pulled his tow truck behind a Mercedes-Benz SUV, which was stopped in the center lanes after hitting a center median, Worsham said.

“When he exited his vehicle to check on the driver, he was struck by a passing vehicle,” Worsham said.

The Sandy Springs traffic unit is still investigating. Anyone with information should contact police.

— Please return to AJC.com for updates.

In other news: 

At least two people were taken to a hospital after the crash.

About the Author

Keep Reading

Nichola Hines, former chair of the Office of Inspector General's governing board wears a "Stand with OIG" pin as she speaks at a press conference on the steps of City Hall on Feb. 17, 2025.

Credit: Riley Bunch/riley.bunch@ajc.com

Featured

State Sen. Marty Harbin (R-Tyrone) speaks during a state Senate Ethics Committee hearing on election security at the Paul D. Coverdell Legislative Office Building in Atlanta on Wednesday, November 1, 2023. Harbin is the main sponsor of SB 120, which would withhold state funding or state-administered federal money to any public school or college that implements DEI policies. (Arvin Temkar / arvin.temkar@ajc.com)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com