3 seriously injured in Cobb crash after cops say driver fell asleep

An Atlanta man and his two passengers suffered serious injuries Wednesday after authorities said he fell asleep behind the wheel on I-575 in Cobb County.

According to investigators, 27-year-old Prasanth Kotharu was driving a black 2020 Hyundai Elantra on I-575 South near I-75 when he fell asleep around 7:30 a.m., Cobb police Officer Shenise McDonald said in a statement. The vehicle left the road and continued along the grass shoulder before falling into an embankment, police said. McDonald said the front part of the Hyundai crashed into a concrete drainage channel before it rolled onto its side.

Kotharu, along with passengers Jayakumar Palanisamy, 31, and Samuel Anbumani, 33, both of Dunwoody, are being treated at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, McDonald said.