A crash claimed the life of a commercial truck driver early Thursday morning on Interstate 75 southbound in Bartow County, disrupting traffic for hours and leading to a secondary accident nearby.
Georgia State Patrol troopers responded at 5:36 a.m. to the scene near mile marker 291. Investigators determined that a white Volvo commercial motor vehicle followed too closely behind a white International commercial motor vehicle hauling beams in the right lane. The Volvo struck the rear of the International, and the protruding beams penetrated the Volvo’s cab. The Volvo driver, 34-year-old Aleksandar Conic of Worth, Illinois, suffered fatal injuries and died at the scene.
The crash shut down southbound lanes for approximately three-and-a-half hours as crews worked to clear the wreckage and investigate.
A secondary crash occurred shortly afterward, caused by traffic backups from the initial incident. Troopers reported this as a three-vehicle rear-end collision with minor injuries to those involved.
This station continues to monitor developments and will provide updates as more information becomes available.