Three men in their 30s died in separate motorcycle crashes on I-75 earlier this week, police said.
In Cobb County, 39-year-old Benjamin Clark of Acworth was killed after he was thrown from his 2007 Honda Shadow, Marietta police spokesman Jared Rakestraw said.
Police released Clark’s identity Tuesday morning.
Clark was traveling northbound on I-75 and collided with a 2016 GMC Sierra pickup driven by Dominique Higgs of Flowery Branch.
“The motorcycle then struck the center median wall and the driver was thrown from it,” Rakestraw said.
Immediately following that crash, an alleged DUI driver struck the patrol car of an officer who was investigating the fatal crash. That driver, Trenten Baldwin, was arrested.
About 1:45 a.m., officers in Atlanta responded to another crash on I-75/85 southbound at Langford Parkway, where 37-year-old Dwayne Parker Jr. of Stone Mountain was killed after being ejected from his bike after striking the car in front of him, Atlanta police said.
“As vehicles slowed for the accident, a second motorcycle struck the rear end of a vehicle and a third motorcyclist lost control of his bike and crashed while attempting to avoid the slowing vehicles,” police spokesman Sgt. John Chafee said.
The other two motorcyclists were taken to Grady Hospital in stable condition. No one was charged in the incident.
The third incident took place about 6:15 a.m. in Clayton County. Demosthenes Kostapapas Jr., 31, of Reddick, Fla., was killed on I-75 south near Bob White Trail, police spokeswoman Sgt. Ashanti Marbury said.
The man was driving a 250cc scooter when he was rear-ended by a silver Honda Civic whose driver took off, Marbury said.
The car should have substantial front end damage, police said.
“There was significant evidence left at the scene of the crash, which indicates that the vehicle was a dark gray Honda,” Marbury said.
Anyone who may have information about or witnessed the hit-and-run crash is asked to contact the Clayton County Police Department or to call Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-8477.
— Staff writers Lauren Foreman and Steve Burns contributed to this article.
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