Cobb County authorities reopened I-285 eastbound lanes early Sunday afternoon near the Chattahoochee River after they attempted to reconstruct a fatal accident that left one person dead and snarled traffic for nearly two hours three days ago.
The accident occurred around 4:20 p.m. Thursday just west of the Chattahoochee bridge, according to Cobb County police.
Investigators and state Department of Transportation HERO units were back at the scene around 8 a.m. Sunday to try to reconstruct the crash, which involved three vehicles. Eastbound lanes were temporarily closed for the investigation.
Police spokesman Sgt. Dana Pierce said a preliminary review indicates a white 2006 International semi tractor-trailer, a black 2006 Lexus GS430 and a black 1997 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck were involved in the accident.
Pierce said one of the vehicles made an improper lane change, but it wasn't clear which one did so because of conflicting accounts.
"It is known that the passenger car and the semi tractor-trailer collided, and the passenger car and the pickup truck collided," Pierce said in a statement. "The pickup truck then overturned several times before coming to rest in the roadway."
A passenger in the Tacoma died at the scene. The identity of the passenger wasn't disclosed, pending notification of next of kin, the police spokesman said. The driver, Enio Tejada, 50, of Lawrenceville, was taken to Wellstar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta with non-life-threatening injuries.
The drivers of the two other vehicles, trucker Jamie Poole, 39, of Lula, and Mark Shorthouse, 37, of Atlanta, who was in the Lexus, were not injured.
Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call 770-499-3987.
— Dispatch editor Angel K. Brooks contributed to this article.
