Four people and a dog were killed Friday morning when their vehicle clipped another on I-75 South in Clayton County, flipped and went up in flames, police said.
Three of the victims were siblings ages 21, 18 and 12, according to Clayton police. The fourth victim, described by police as a female, has not been identified. Until her family is notified, authorities are withholding the names of all four victims, police spokesperson Sgt. Julia Isaac said.
The crash happened around 1:30 a.m. north of the I-285 East exit, and two occupants were ejected as their vehicle overturned and hit a tree. Speed appears to be a factor, but Isaac said there is no indication the vehicle was racing or involved in a police pursuit.
“I just spoke with one of the sergeants on scene. She said this is one of the most horrific scenes that they have ever seen,” Isaac told Channel 2 Action News from the side of the interstate. “Our officers probably will seek assistance from our chaplains and our peer support.”
All southbound lanes of I-75 were closed immediately following the crash, and two right lanes remained blocked until investigators cleared the scene around 6 a.m.
Update: Cleared. #ATLtraffic https://t.co/CxydUUOedv
— Triple Team Traffic (@WSBTraffic) July 28, 2023
The driver of the second vehicle involved in the wreck was taken to a hospital with serious injuries but was expected to survive, Channel 2 reported.
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