Crime & Safety
UPDATE: 85N Re-opened After Accident
A tractor trailer hit an overhead sign at the 85N/316 split, shutting the highway down for hours.
All lanes of I-85N are now re-open.
Updated 1:19 p.m.
The accident occurred just before 10 a.m. Wednesday and involved a single tractor trailer at the 316 split. Gwinnett County Police Department spokesman Cpl. Jake Smith said the driver had an issue with a tire, possibly a flat or loss of tread, and he attempted to pull over. The driver was not able to stop in time and ended up crashing into a support beam for an overhead sign, causing the sign to fall over all lanes of the highway. He was taken to the hospital with serious injuries but is expected to survive.
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Traffic was backed up for miles and drivers diverted to 316.
Here are pictures from the scene.
Find out what's happening in Norcrosswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
You can use Patch's to see how this tie-up may affect your travels.
Fox 5 Atlanta's Aungelique Proctor got up close to the scene. She reports a tire on the truck blew out causing it to run off the road and strike a pole supporting the overhead sign. DOT expects to have the road re-open by 1 p.m. Check out the aerial video from Fox 5's news helicopter as well.
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