Victims of Sunday's multi-vehicle crash on I-75 in Bartow County identified
BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. - Four people were killed in a deadly multi-vehicle crash in the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 in Bartow County on Sunday night.
It happened just before 6 p.m. near Red Top Mountain Road in Bartow County.
The crash closed all southbound lanes until shortly after 10 p.m. It also resulted in delays in the northbound lanes as people passed by the crash.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, a Kia van was traveling north on the interstate when it left the roadway and entered the southbound lanes, hitting a Chevy Tahoe and Toyota 4Runner. After the crash, the Kia and Toyota were hit by a commercial vehicle, and a Hyundai SUV hit the back of the Chevy.
Officials identified the victims as 43-year-old Dakarai Mason of Cartersville (driver of Kia); 35-year-old Erin Mason of Cartersville (Kia passenger); 14-year-old Brandon Crawford of Cartersville (Kia passenger); and 21-year-old Aimee Odom of Cartersville (driver of Toyota 4Runner).
Mason was a civilian employee of the Holly Springs Police Department.
Bartow County Schools shared a photo of Crawford on Facebook early Monday afternoon. The school described him as always "loving blue and living gold." They also say his "energy, larger-than-life smile, laugh, and infectious personality" made Brandon a standout at Hamilton Crossing Elementary School, Cass Middle School, and Cass High School.
Multiple witnesses told FOX 5 it was likely the worst wreck they had ever seen.
Crash on I-75 Southbound before Red Top Mountain Road CR 633 (Credit: GDOT)
One witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told FOX 5 her family stopped when they witnessed the crash on their way home. She said it started in the northbound lanes where her husband was driving.
"My husband saw cars flipping, and I sat up because I was trying to take a nap, and I watched the back end of the wreck," she explained. "I watched the big rig swerve to try not to hit anybody, because he was actively trying to stop."
She said she witnessed an SUV cross the median into oncoming traffic in the southbound lanes.
"I don't know if the person fell asleep, was arguing with another person in the vehicle, if it was a medical issue, if it was something else, but something caused them to go from the fast lane, across the median at a high speed, because he didn't get stopped by the cables. [He] went through the cables," she said.
The woman explained the SUV was wrecked so badly that its windshields were almost completely busted out and the front of the car was almost non-existent.
"There was fluid coming out the car," she said. "It was smoking, the door wasn't there on the driver side. It wasn't really there on the passenger side. The top of the car was all smushed in. The back of the car smushed inward. That one was bad."
Crash on I-75 Southbound before Red Top Mountain Road CR 633 (Credit: GDOT)
She explained the other impacted vehicles took on a lot of damage as well.
The woman described herself as a mother to FOX 5, saying that as soon as she witnessed it, she felt compelled to help. The woman and her husband pulled over, made sure their kids were safe, and then the two of them helped pull any victims they could see or hear out of the wreck.
"I was like, 'If there are people trapped in that car, and it's about to catch on fire, I don't care if their chances of living are slim to none, we are going to help,'" she said.
Officials say two adults and a 15-year-old who were in the Kia and the driver of the Toyota were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other juveniles in the Kia, one adult and one juvenile in the Hyundai, and the driver of the Chevy Tahoe were rushed to the hospital. Officials have not given an update on the survivors' conditions.
The woman grew emotional as she described seeing other drivers stop by the crash, not to help, but seemingly to videotape it.
This story is developing. Check back for details. If you have additional information, pictures, or video email newstipsatlanta@fox.com.