Holiday Weekend Starts With Two Wrecks on I-85

The long Labor Day travel weekend has not officially started, but already two wrecks tied up traffic on I-85 northbound in Franklin and Hart Counties for hours Friday morning.

Both happened this morning, according to the Hartwell Post of the Georgia State Patrol.

Trooper Corporal Nick Jenkins tells WNEG News at about 2a Friday morning a truck pulling a multi-vehicle trailer on I-85 northbound tried to pass a similar tractor-trailer at the 177 mile marker.

As he attempted to pass the other truck, the driver of the first tractor-trailer lost control and hit the truck he was trying to pass.

That caused him to lose control and drive off into the center median where the tractor-trailer overturned.

The driver suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene and released.

Corporal Jenkins said no charges will be filed against either driver because of a lack of evidence at the scene.

The names of the drivers and the companies they were hauling for will not be released, according to Jenkins, until the GSP investigation is complete.

That wreck had traffic on I-85 northbound at a standstill for miles until about noon Friday.

While that wreck was being investigated, another accident happened at mile marker 174 northbound.

Jenkins said in that case a vehicle failed to stop in time and hit the back of a box truck that was stopped.

There were no injuries and the driver of the sedan was charged with failing to yield.

By 2p Friday, both wrecks were cleared and traffic was flowing, but not before another 18-wheeler ran off the road at mile marker 168 in Franklin County on I-85 northbound.

No injuries reported in that incident, but traffic was backed up for a time.

Troopers are urging motorists to use extra caution on the roads as they travel for the Labor Day holiday weekend.