A person died in an overnight crash that shut down Covington Highway near Miller Road and Thicket Way just after midnight, closing the busy DeKalb County corridor for nearly three hours before it reopened around 3 a.m. Officers had not released the number of vehicles involved or said whether anyone else was hurt.
Atlanta News First reported the crash, noting that DeKalb County police had not released additional information about what led up to the collision. The station's report did not specify whether speed, impairment, or any other factor was involved, and those questions remain unanswered as of publication.
A Corridor With a Painful Recent History
This is not the first time this stretch of Covington Highway has turned deadly. In April, a high-speed police pursuit of a stolen vehicle ended in a collision at the very same intersection, killing 56-year-old Antionette Catchings and injuring her grandson, according to WSB Radio. An 18-year-old driver was later indicted on felony murder and vehicular homicide charges in connection with that crash.
Hoodline covered that April crash when it happened, reporting that the stolen car chase near Miller Road left a woman dead and a 14-year-old critically injured after the fleeing vehicle crashed near Miller Grove Middle School. That incident led to a multi-hour road closure and a major police lockdown near the school, which Hoodline also reported at the time.
Earlier, in February, a fatal crash occurred at the nearby intersection of Covington Highway and Glenwood Road, a collision Hoodline previously reported on as well. Together, the incidents point to a corridor that keeps producing fatal wrecks within a short stretch of roadway.
Why the Highway Keeps Seeing Deadly Wrecks
DeKalb County police pursuits surged by nearly 500% in 2026 following department policy updates that expanded the use of tactical interventions such as the precision immobilization technique, according to WABE. Community members and defense attorneys have raised concerns about crash risks tied to high-speed chases moving through residential and commercial areas like the Covington Highway corridor.
Traffic volume is also a growing factor. A DeKalb County corridor study projects that daily traffic along Covington Highway will increase by 29% by 2030, and Engage DeKalb describes Covington Highway as a commercial redevelopment corridor. The roadway serves as a primary link between residential neighborhoods, industrial parks, and Interstate 20, funneling heavy commuter and commercial traffic through the same stretch where multiple fatal crashes have now occurred.
Countywide, the numbers underscore the risk. DeKalb County recorded 35,860 motor vehicle crashes in 2024, resulting in 112 fatalities and 574 suspected serious injuries, ranking second among all Georgia counties for total annual traffic collisions, according to the Barnes Law Group. Statewide, Georgia recorded more than 367,000 total motor vehicle collisions in 2024 alone, contributing to over 8,400 fatal crashes and more than 9,100 roadway deaths between 2020 and 2024, per Justia Law.
How DeKalb Investigates Fatal Crashes
DeKalb County's Traffic Specialist Unit is involved in fatal collision investigations, according to DeKalb County Government. The investigation continues as officials assess the circumstances.
Georgia law addresses vehicular homicide, including deaths resulting from driving offenses. It also sets out duties for drivers involved in crashes.
As of now, DeKalb County police have not disclosed how many vehicles were involved in Wednesday night's crash or whether anyone besides the person who died was injured. Those details, along with any determination of what caused the wreck, are expected to come from the ongoing investigation.
