The wreckage that ground traffic to a halt on I-75 south in Cobb County has finally been cleared, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. Motorists experienced major delays as all lanes past Highway 5 were blocked earlier due to a multi-vehicle crash, FOX 5 Atlanta reported.
COBB CO - All lanes are blocked on I-75 S past Canton Rd. (mm 266) due to a crash. Avoid travel in this direction and use alt. routes.
— 511 GA - A Service of Georgia DOT (@511Georgia) January 31, 2024
Est. end time: 11:00 am #ATLtraffic #CobbCounty
Call 511 for updates and check https://t.co/uwTGYOHMp3 for road conditions. pic.twitter.com/U2GzRYznZO
Initial reports from Marietta Police indicate that the chaos began with a collision between two vehicles that subsequently moved to the interstate's left shoulder. In the midst of this move, another vehicle collided with them and was sent spinning, scattering debris across the road and exacerbating the blockage. Traffic cameras captured the resulting logjam, with images showing queues stretching for miles, and police and emergency vehicles strewn across the lanes as they responded to the crisis, as reported by 11Alive.
A daunting scene unfolded on the asphalt, evidenced by aerial footage from SKYFOX 5 which showed at least three wrecked vehicles amid the aftermath. While the lanes have since reopened, the incident had a significant impact on the day's traffic flow. Motorists were urged to find alternate routes during the closure, in an effort to circumvent the extensive backup.
The aftermath left one driver in critical condition, who was swiftly taken to the hospital following the second, more severe collision, "Police said that third driver, who hit the stopped cars, was taken to the hospital in critical condition," as per the statement obtained by 11Alive. The Marietta Police Department continues to investigate the sequence of events that led to the pileup and have urged drivers to exercise caution in the area moving forward.
