A man was killed and seven others were injured when I-85 traffic slowed Thursday afternoon and a tractor-trailer slammed into several vehicles, authorities said.
The wreck in Fairburn shut down I-85 South just before the start of the evening commute and caused severe delays. According to Fairburn police Deputy Chief Anthony Bazydlo, the wreck happened about 4 p.m. when a commercial tractor-trailer hit several cars.
Eight people were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital, including one flown by helicopter. That man, identified by the Georgia State Patrol as 66-year-old Jerome Miller, later died.
“The traffic came to a stop in front of the tractor-trailer, either a stop or a dramatic slowdown,” Bazydlo said. “Tractor-trailer could not stop in time, so I am told the tractor-trailer crashed into multiple vehicles from behind as the vehicles were slowing down or preparing to stop.”
Investigators with the GSP determined that the tractor-trailer was traveling in the fourth lane from the median wall before the crash and confirmed it was following too closely.
The wreck blocked all southbound lanes for about an hour, causing traffic to pile up for miles behind the crash. One lane reopened around 5 p.m. A second lane was not opened until after 9 p.m.
Authorities remained at the scene until late Thursday evening, according to a GSP spokesman. It was not clear if the tractor-trailer driver was facing charges.
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
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