ATLANTA — The Georgia State Patrol is investigating a deadly crash in northwest Atlanta Thursday morning that left two people dead and others injured.
Atlanta Police officers attempted to stop a Toyota Rav 4 on Northside Drive at 17th Street. They said the driver turned on their right turn signal "as if the driver was going to stop" when it sped off, ran a red light and hit a Mitsubishi Outlander. The crash happened near the intersection of Northside Drive and 14th Street.
"From the initiation of the attempted traffic stop to the crash, is approximately 37 seconds," APD said on Thursday around 1:30 p.m.
The department still has not said why they initiated the traffic stop on the Toyota Rav 4. A release sent to 11Alive said GSP responded around 2:38 a.m. They have since taken over the investigation.
A woman working at the Krystal across the street from where the accident occurred said she was not sure what the noise was until she looked outside.
"I heard a loud boom. Like, I don't know if somebody ran over something," Lauri Ramone said. "But when I looked out my window, that's when I seen the accident that was over on this side. And it was like like it was real loud, like, boom."
Georgia State Patrol adds that the driver, 39-year-old Guillermo Bracho Barrios, and front seat passenger of that second vehicle, 27-year-old Gemini Jerome Jackson, were both killed. Three backseat passengers were taken to Grady Hospital with unknown injuries.
11Alive has also confirmed that Barrios was an Uber driver.
“We are heartbroken by the news of this terrible tragedy," a spokesperson for the rideshare company said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families during this difficult time, and we hope those injured recover swiftly.”
Meanwhile, GSP said the suspects in the vehicle that ran the red light had serious injuries and were also taken to Grady Hospital.
Other damaged vehicles can be seen in the area being pulled away on a tow truck.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
Also download the 11Alive News app and sign up to receive alerts for the latest on this story and other breaking news in Atlanta and north Georgia.