GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A major wreck involving three cars, including two tractor trailers, left two people dead and closed I-85 South in Gwinnett County for several hours Friday morning.
The highway reopened shortly after 6:30 a.m.
The incident happened just past Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and left I-85 South all the way to Old Peachtree Road, police said.
The wreck occurred sometime at around 1:30 a.m.
I-85 closed in Gwinnett Co. after wreck kills two people
A 28-year-old Buford woman was charged in the crash, police said.
After being released from the hospital on Friday, Leah Knox was arrested and charged with homicide by vehicle, failure to maintain lane, and driving too fast for conditions, Gwinnett Police said.
They believe alcohol was not a contributing factor, however, speed and weather conditions are being investigated.
The drivers of both commercial tractor trailers were dead, police said. The driver of the car was taken to the hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.
"Based on the preliminary investigation, evidence at the scene, and witness statements, it appears as though the incident began when the driver of the passenger car, Leah Knox lost control of her grey 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse and made impact with a guardrail on the right side of the roadway," they said in a news release.
They said one of the tractor trailers, driven by 63-year-old Robert Kent of Stockbridge, struck the Mitsubishi as it reflected off the guardrail and reentered the roadway. The tractor trailer continued forward and struck the center median wall.
"The movements of the second tractor trailer are still being investigated, but investigators are looking in to the possibility that it made impact with the Mitsubishi and/or the other tractor trailer after their impacts," they said.
The driver of the second tractor trailer has been identified as 50-year-old Raymond Samuel, of Decatur.
Notification has been made for the families of both Kent and Samuel.
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