Buford man killed in wreck

A Buford man died after his vehicle hit the back of a crane truck Thursday afternoon, Cobb County police said.

The crash happened around 1:45 p.m. on the ramp from westbound I-285 to South Cobb Drive in Smyrna.

Police said the preliminary investigation shows that 42-year-old Sylvester Johnson, for unknown reasons, hit the back of a crane truck that was stopped on the exit ramp at the red light waiting to turn left. Johnson’s black 2012 Chevrolet Cruze then rolled backward down the ramp toward the southbound flow of I-285 traffic, but stopped just before entering the interstate.

Johnson was transported to Emory Adventist Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said. His three juvenile passengers were not injured.

The crane truck driver, Brian D. Maddox, 37, of Dallas, also was not injured.

Charges are not expected to be filed, investigators said.