CAMDEN COUNTY, Ga – Four people were killed in a Friday afternoon crash crash that closed I-95 in Camden County, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Several others have been hospitalized for injuries, UF Health spokesperson said.
The crash was on I-95 south at St. Marys Road. Both northbound and southbound lanes were blocked at one point. Shortly before 9 p.m., all lanes had reopened.
The crash occurred near the Georgia Welcome Center around 2:30 p.m. Two semitrailers and multiple cars were involved.
The driver of an International semi-truck was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash, according to officials.
The white International semi-truck was traveling south on the interstate and struck a Nissan Armada. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which began to overturn and hit a Chevrolet Silverado, causing the truck to travel through the center median and into the northbound lanes of 1-95. The semi was then struck by a Nissan Xterra, a Honda Pilot and a black Peterbilt semi-truck before coming to final rest on I-95 North.
Two passengers from the International semi-truck died at the scene, and the driver was taken to UF Health. Two passengers from the Honda Pilot also died after being taken to hospital.
The crash is still under investigation. The driver’s name and those of the victims have not yet been released.
The nearby Kings Bay Naval Station provided assistance, and the Nassau County Sheriff’s Office was also helping with the rescue efforts.
Traffic that was diverted to nearby U.S. Highway 17 was slow-moving as crews worked to clear the crash scene.
It took a News4JAX crew, which traveled from Jacksonville via Highway 17, four hours to get to the scene.
Ashley and Zack Conoway were traveling from Savannah. They were trying to find a good route home, and had been crawling for about two hours.
“It’s been a long day at work and sitting in this traffic makes it longer,” traveler James Bland told us.
Despite the wait, the drivers we spoke with were understanding of the situation.
“I’ve been hearing it on the radio and it’s very unfortunate,” Bland added.
“I’m not going to complain about being in traffic when others have it a lot worse than we do,” Zack Conoway said. “Praying for all involved.”