Three people were killed early Thursday morning when a vehicle stalled on I-20 and they tried to push it out of harm’s way, police said.
Three vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction collision, which was reported about 2:45 a.m. near the I-285 interchange. In addition to the three killed, one person was critically injured and three others sustained minor injuries, according to a DeKalb County police spokesperson.
The resulting investigation shut down the westbound lanes of I-20 for five hours during the peak morning rush, forcing commuters onto I-285 and causing miles of backups.
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
Credit: John Spink / John.Spink@ajc.com
“Our preliminary investigation indicates that a vehicle with mechanical issues had stalled in the roadway and was being pushed when the collision occurred,” spokesperson Officer Elise Wells said in an emailed statement. “This resulted in the three fatalities, one of which was thrown across the median wall.”
The DeKalb County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the three victims as Joseph Manning, 54, Brandon Lowery, 34, and Porche Sealy, 28. The critically injured passenger was taken to a hospital, and an update on their condition was not provided.
The other three injured were treated at the scene.
The entire interstate was shut down when authorities first responded Thursday, and for nearly two hours traffic could only get by in the eastbound HOV lane. The eastbound lanes reopened about 5:30 a.m., but westbound traffic was stuck behind the wreck until lanes fully reopened at 7:40 a.m.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation, Wells said Thursday. It was not clear if anyone involved would face charges.
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