Authorities are investigating after an unidentified man’s body was found on I-75 North in Bartow County, a Georgia State Patrol official said.

GSP troopers were called about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday to investigate, Sgt. Joseph Stephens said. The agency later called in its Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team to process the scene, which is about 40 miles northwest of downtown Atlanta in Emerson.

The Emerson Police Department and GBI are also helping with the investigation, according to the agencies. Their work blocked a right lane before exit No. 283 for more than three hours.

All lanes reopened just after noon, the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center reported.

It’s unclear how the body ended up on the interstate or what caused the man’s death, which is being treated as a homicide for now.

“At this time, we are not releasing any additional information until positive identification from the crime lab is made and after the autopsy is conducted,” GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said.

The autopsy is scheduled for Thursday.

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