THE LATEST: 3 dead in fiery crash on I-75 North in Cherokee County

Authorities were on I-75 North in Cherokee County early Tuesday after a vehicle left the interstate and caught fire. The driver and two passengers were found dead.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

Authorities were on I-75 North in Cherokee County early Tuesday after a vehicle left the interstate and caught fire. The driver and two passengers were found dead.

A driver and two passengers are dead after a fiery crash on I-75 North in Cherokee County, according to a sheriff’s spokeswoman.

Sgt. Marianne Kelley said officials were called to the scene north of the Woodstock Road overpass about 6:43 a.m. Tuesday after learning a northbound SUV veered off the right side of the interstate.

“The SUV traveled down an embankment and struck a tree where it caught fire,” Kelley said.

No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

“We are still working to determine cause and who the victims were,” Kelley told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The vehicle was hauled away from the crash site to an undisclosed location so investigators can look through it for clues.

The accident shut down multiple lanes before Ga. 92 at one point, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center.

All lanes reopened about 9:40 a.m., but heavy delays remained long after that.

Footage of the scene showed backups that stretched for miles.

Heavy delays remained after long after I-75 North reopened Tuesday. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

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In other news:

One person is dead, one is in serious condition and two other had injuries to their lower extremities, police said.