ATLANTA, GA — A multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 85 in Jackson County claimed the lives of eight people, including five children, on Monday afternoon.
According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred shortly after 4 p.m. when 33-year-old Kane Aaron Hammock, driving a semi-trailer, struck the rear of a 2014 Dodge Grand Caravan. The impact caused a chain reaction with four additional vehicles, igniting the Dodge van and the tractor-trailer.
Hammock was subsequently arrested on multiple charges, including eight counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and one count of second-degree feticide by vehicle. Records indicate he was apprehended by the Georgia State Patrol on the day of the incident.
Details about the victims remain undisclosed. Authorities are investigating the possibility of a pregnant adult among those deceased, pending autopsy results.
Involved in the crash was a van from Furkids Animal Rescue, which was transporting 37 cats to a shelter in Vermont. Following the accident, many cats scattered, and as of Tuesday, two remained missing, while one cat was reported to be in critical condition.
The Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team and the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting further investigations into the incident.