Wrecks jam I-75 and I-85

By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Traffic was gridlocked on Interstates 75 and 85 headed into Atlanta from the north Wednesday morning as a pair of major wrecks backed traffic up for miles.

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John Spink, jspinnk@ajc.com, AJC Traffic is jammed on southbound I-75 near the north loop after a six-car wreck blocked several lanes near Windy Hill Road shortly after 7 a.m.

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John Spink, jspink@ajc.com, AJC A sport-utilty vehicle is loaded onto a wrecker after slamming into the median wall of the southbound I-75 ramp leading to to eastbound I-285.

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Paul Marshall, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation, said there was a fatality in a 7:20 a.m. crash that shut down all southbound lanes of I-85 near Spaghetti Junction.

DeKalb County police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said a woman was entering the interstate from an on-ramp when she lost control of her car, spun around and was struck by another vehicle. The woman died at the scene, Parish said. No other injuries were reported, she said.

The interstate was reopened by shortly after 8 a.m., but by then,  traffic was jammed for at least 10 miles back to Ga. 316.

In Cobb County, a six-car wreck blocked several lanes of I-75 near Windy Hill Road after 7 a.m. All but one lane had been reopened by 8 a.m., but "the damage has been done," Marshall said, causing a traffic jam that stretched for at least 13 miles back to Wade Green Road. Traffic was also jammed on I-575 as motorists tried to merge onto I-75.

Two injuries were reported that wreck.

Other wrecks during Wednesday's morning commute slowed traffic on I-285 westbound at Buford Highway and on I-75 northbound at Jonesboro Road in Henry County. Two people were injured in that crash, which involved seven vehicles and blocked a couple of lanes until about 9 a.m.