Fatal Traffic Accident on I-85 Thursday

By MJ Kneiser, WLHR Radio, Lavonia

Traffic is flowing again this morning on Interstate 85 in Franklin County, but that wasn’t the case Thursday afternoon after a fatal accident involving two-tractor trailers blocked the southbound side of the highway.

According to the Georgia State Patrol’s Hartwell Post, it happened at about 2 p.m. Thursday near mile marker 170 on I-85 when two tractor trailers collided.

Sergeant Brian Roberts with the GSP’s Hartwell Post said the impact caused both 18-wheelers to burst into flames.

“We had a truck headed northbound and he crossed the median for unknown reasons,” Sgt. Roberts said. “Witnesses said there appeared to be no reason why he crossed the median. He struck another 18-wheeler headed southbound in the side of that truck’s trailer causing that truck to overturn. Both trucks burst into flames. The tractor of the 18-wheeler headed northbound became fully engulfed in flames. The trailer of the southbound tractor-trailer also burst into flames and was destroyed.”

The driver of the northbound 18-wheeler died at the scene.

His name has not been released pending notification of family.

There is no word yet on the condition of the driver of the southbound tractor-trailer nor his identity.

Traffic southbound was at a standstill the rest of Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening while troopers worked the accident scene.

All southbound traffic was diverted off Exit 173 in Lavonia to Highway 59 down to Exit 166 in Carnesville while crews worked to clear the wreckage.

Traffic also backed up in Toccoa as a number of drivers chose to pass through Stephens County to avoid the accident.

All lanes of traffic were back open by 9 p.m. Thursday.