Woman in I-285 crash dies

By Ty Tagami and Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A woman who was driving a minivan on I-285 Monday morning died after colliding with a tractor-trailer.

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Georgia Navigator A major wreck jammed I-285 West at midday near Riverside Drive in Sandy Springs.

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Rosario Velez, 45, of Sandy Springs, was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead shortly after 4 p.m., said Sandy Springs police Lt. Keith Zgonc.

The tractor-trailer hit the Toyota minivan in a westbound lane near Riverside Drive at 11 a.m., Zgonc said.

The truck driver was uninjured, and there were no passengers in either vehicle.

The wreck led authorities to close three lanes of westbound traffic for about 90 minutes, resulting in a backup that stretched more than five miles and lasted well after the lanes reopened.

About 15 gallons of diesel leaked from the truck's fuel tanks and had to be cleaned up, DOT spokeswoman Monica Luck told the AJC.

No charges have been filed. Sandy Springs police are trying to piece together what happened and are soliciting help from the public.

Eyewitnesses can call the Sandy Springs Police Department at 770-551-6900.