Jackson County, GA – A truck driver has been charged with multiple counts of vehicular homicide following a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 85 in Jackson County Monday that left eight people dead and multiple others injured. The crash,involving multiple tractor-trailers and passenger vehicles,occurred near mile marker 136 and resulted in a massive fire,shutting down the highway for hours.
The Georgia State Patrol identified the driver as Hammock, who faces charges related to the deaths and injuries caused by the collision. The investigation is ongoing, and additional charges are possible. the incident has brought renewed attention to highway safety and the risks associated with commercial trucking.
Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelter confirmed one of its transport vans was involved in the crash. The van was carrying 37 cats to a partner shelter in Vermont when it was struck approximately 90 minutes after departing Atlanta. The organization reported its driver and several animals were injured, with five cats initially missing. As of Tuesday afternoon, all but two kittens were accounted for.
“We are devastated for the families affected, and our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with them,” Furkids said in a statement posted to its official Facebook page. Staff members were on scene working to recover the animals and provide medical care to the 32 cats that have been found.
The georgia State Patrol’s Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team is continuing to investigate the cause of the crash.
The Jackson County sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Department of Transportation, Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelter, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
