One person was killed and 17 were injured in an eight-car crash along Ga. 316 eastbound at Buford Drive in Lawrenceville, Gwinnett County officials said.
It is unclear what exactly led to the Monday afternoon crash that left part of a car under a tractor-trailer, which caught on fire, Gwinnett County fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge said. The driver of that car died at the scene.
Nine patients were taken to Gwinnett Medical Center-Lawrenceville and Children’s Hospital of Atlanta Scottish Rite Hospital with minor to moderate injuries. Two adults injured in the crash are in critical condition.
Eight others were treated and released at the scene.
One victim, Shirley Roberts, told Channel 2 Action News she had to kick her way out of her car.
“I just remember my first instinct was: ‘I have to get out of the car,’” she said. “My door was pretty smashed in, so I kicked it a couple of times and got out. Everyone around me was screaming. It was pretty scary.”
Eastbound lanes were closed as crews work to clear the crash scene. The highway reopened about 9 p.m. , Channel 2 reported.
Police are diverting traffic from the area.
Officials told Channel 2 they will reconstruct the accident to determine the case, but said it’d be difficult to do given the number of vehicles involved.
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