Cobb County police are investigating two separate wrecks that happened within minutes of each other and resulted in one death and several injuries, the agency said.
The first happened on C.H. James Parkway near the intersection with Garrett Road at 11:38 a.m. Monday, according to Cobb police spokeswoman Officer Shenise Barner.
Dexter Raines, 59, of Powder Springs, was fatally injured when a rear tire on his 2000 Nissan Maxima blew out and sent him into oncoming traffic, Barner said. Raines was taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Raines’ Maxima was traveling east when it had a flat tire and veered across the turn lane into the path of an oncoming 2021 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck, Barner said. The front of the Ram hit the right side of the Maxima and the two cars spun to a stop in the westbound lanes. After the cars had stopped, the Maxima was hit on the left side by a 2014 GMC Savana van, Barner said.
Immediately after, a 2017 Dodge Challenger hit the Ram pickup truck and was sent into the guardrail, Barner said. After hitting the guardrail, the Challenger collided with a 2016 Kia Sedona.
The drivers of the Ram and the Challenger were taken to hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, while the other two drivers involved did not require medical attention, police said.
Minutes after that fatal wreck, another crash on I-75 North just before the Wade Green Road exit sent a man and a 3-year-old to the hospital.
Jacob B. Walters, 36, of Kennesaw, was trapped inside his 2001 Chevrolet Suburban after the wreck at 11:39 a.m., Barner said. Emergency responders had to extract Walters from the SUV before he was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital with serious injuries, Barner said.
A 3-year-old boy who was also in the car was taken to the hospital with Walters, but was not seriously injured, according to Barner.
According to the initial investigation, the wreck happened after a South Carolina man stopped his 2018 Dodge Ram 5500 pickup truck in the emergency lane. Moments later, Walters’ vehicle hit the Ram from behind, Barner said. The other driver did not need medical treatment.
Cobb police are continuing to investigate both wrecks. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact investigators at 770-499-3987.
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