GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A wreck has killed five people in Gwinnett County early Monday morning, according to police.
The wreck occurred where a GA-316 exit ramp to Pleasant Hill Road converges with an I-85 exit lane. There were three vehicles involved in the wreck, police said in a mid-morning update, and three additional people who were hospitalized.
The wreck happened shortly before 4 a.m. Police said the investigation was active and there was not yet information available about what exactly caused the crash.
Gwinnett Police public information officer Christian D'Allaird said it appeared one of the vehicles had gone over the wall of the GA-316 ramp to I-85, falling dozens of feet onto the I-85 exit lane to Pleasant Hill Road. D'Allaird said he did not have the exact height of the overpass ramp but said it would have been a roughly 50-foot drop.
The officer said he could not yet confirm if all five deaths were of passengers in that vehicle. 11Alive Photojournalist Stephen Boissy captured images of a heavily damaged truck being towed from the site.
There were no identifying details yet available about any of the people who died.
How the other two vehicles were involved in the wreck was also unclear. Police acknowledged there were indications at least one of the vehicles was hit or obstructed on the lower roadway, after the car fell from the ramp.
Photos supplied by GCPD showed at least one vehicle wrecked on the overpass ramp and one wrecked below.
"It has not yet been determined what factors led to the collision, or the seriousness of the injuries to the surviving parties," a Facebook statement by GCPD said. "Witnesses are encouraged to call or email GCPD Investigators with any helpful information at pdaccidentinvestigationunit@gwinnettcounty.com or 678-442-5653."
The post noted next of kin have not been notified yet.
The ramp connects to I-85 and the lower exit lane/distributor road stretches down to Pleasant Hill Road.
The lane closures were expected to extend through the later morning, police said.
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