A three-vehicle accident on I-985 south of Gainesville about midnight Thursday left one person injured, another charged with DUI, and part of the road closed for about two-and-a-half hours.
STATE PATROL NARRATIVE:
“…The accident occurred on the southbound lanes of I-985 at mile marker 14.
A red Ford Expedition was traveling too fast for conditions and ran off the left side of the roadway. The Expedition struck a cable barrier and then rotated counterclockwise, back into the travel lanes. The vehicle came to a rest in the left southbound lane, facing north. The driver exited the vehicle and ran to the right shoulder of the roadway.
A red Kia Sportage was traveling in the left southbound lane. The Sportage struck the front of the Expedition, causing a 2nd accident. The Expedition was pushed off the roadway, and the Sportage came to rest in the left southbound lane, facing south. The left front tire from the Expedition came off and was left in the right southbound travel lane.
A red Chevrolet Express van was traveling in the right southbound lane. The van was attempting to avoid the 2nd accident when it struck the tire from the Expedition on its front right.
All vehicles were disabled due to the chain of accidents.
The driver of the Expedition was taken to jail for DUI, Too Fast for Conditions, and Failure to Maintain Lane. The driver of the Kia Sportage was the only occupant who sustained minor injuries and was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville.
Both travel lanes of southbound I-985 were shut down due to the accidents. The roadway was reopened around (2:15) for both lanes.”