A trucker was charged with vehicular homicide Monday following a multi-vehicle crash in Jackson County that left one person dead. The accident, involving five vehicles, occurred on I-85 north near the U.S. 129 exit, according to the state patrol.
Troopers said traffic had slowed when an 18-wheeler traveling in the right lane struck the rear of a car, pushing it into the median wall. The truck then hit another car, causing it to spin and collide with two additional vehicles.
The driver of the first car was pronounced dead at Northeast Georgia Medical Center. The driver of the second car was taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
In addition to vehicular homicide in the second-degree, the trucker was charged with following too closely. The northbound lanes of the interstate were closed for about three hours because of the late afternoon accident and did not reopen until about 8:30 Monday night.