1 dead, 6 injured in I-75 crash in Atlanta

ATLANTA - One person has been confirmed dead, and six others have been injured in a multi-vehicle crash along Interstate 75 on Friday afternoon.

It happened around 1:34 p.m. in the southbound lanes near Howell Mill Road. According to the Georgia State Patrol, seven vehicles were involved.

The crash occurred in the fourth lane of I-75 South as traffic began diverting around a disabled Pontiac. As vehicles slowed abruptly, two Freightliner commercial trucks struck a Ford Transit van. The impact caused the van to hit a Hyundai, which collided with a Toyota Corolla. The Corolla overturned and made contact with an Audi A4. One of the Freightliners also overturned after steering to the left.

The passenger of the Toyota Corolla was pronounced dead at the scene. Six other individuals were injured and transported to local hospitals for treatment. The crash forced the closure of all southbound lanes of I-75 for several hours.

The Fulton County Medical Examiner and the Georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT) are investigating the incident.

The two Freightliner trucks appeared to be equipped to be used as utility bucket trucks. It was not immediately clear which company fleet they were part of.

Earlier in the day, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp called for drivers to be patients as more work crews were on the roadways attempting to restore vital services in the state.