A woman who police said was driving drunk with her 6-year-old daughter in the car caused a crash at the top end of the Perimeter that sent two other people to a hospital, Channel 2 Action News reported.
Karen Smith Morton was charged with driving under the influence and child endangerment in connection with the Thursday night incident on I-285 near Ashford Dunwoody Road, police said.
The Atlanta woman was driving in the westbound lanes of I-285 at 9:42 p.m. when her silver 2003 Infiniti QX4 drifted left into another lane and struck the rear of a silver 2012 Acura MDX, causing the second vehicle to veer into a barrier wall, according to a police incident report. Morton's car also hit the wall, police said.
DeKalb Fire Rescue transported two people from the second vehicle to Northside Hospital. A passenger sustained a broken ankle, and the driver complained of chest pains, police said.
Morton's daughter was not hurt. She was staying with a family member after her mother's arrest.
Police said the woman was remorseful.
"She just stated that she just had some drinks and apologized for her actions," Dunwoody police officer Tim Fecht told Channel 2.
Police said the Perimeter already is congested with stop-and-go traffic, and a major repaving project was about to begin. The two left lanes of I-285 eastbound from Paces Ferry to Ashford Dunwoody roads will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.
"People have to think a lot smarter and just make reasonable decisions in their lives," Fecht said. Driving under the influence, he said, not only puts the driver at risk, "but you're endangering your children and also everybody else out on the roadway."
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