Police release 911 call audio in deadly van crash
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - Several 911 calls released by the Gwinnett County Police Department shed light on the horrifying sight drivers encountered after a fiery crash on Interstate 85 northbound at the Interstate 985 split Saturday evening.
"There's a fire and explosion and they just got somebody out of the burning van. It's a huge blaze," one female caller screamed as she described the scene around 6 p.m. April 24.
"There's somebody trapped in it, it's on fire and everybody's trying to get them out, but it's fully engulfed," said a male driver.
Wednesday, Gwinnett County police released the 911 calls and the names of the six female passengers who died when the van crashed. The victims were all from Georgia:
- Alishia Carroll, 34, from Columbus
- Kristie Whitfield, 44, from Mount Airy
- Ashleigh Paris, 26, from Kennesaw
- Tina Rice, 53, from Atlanta
- Normisha Monroe, 38, from Norcross
- Rose Patrick, 34, from Ellabell
Medics rushed nine other people to the hospital that evening with everything from cuts and bruises to severe burns.
"They're pulling people out of the car and some are on fire but the pedestrians are taking their clothes off and patting them down," said a female caller.
One driver told the 911 dispatcher the van driver tried to go from I-85 to I-985, hit the bank, and flipped before bursting into flames.
Investigators would still like to hear from other drivers who witnessed the crash to get a better sense of what went wrong as loved ones of the six women who died prepare for funerals.
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