Injury crash shuts down I-85 NB near McAdenville exits

With the far right lane blocked before Exit 22, officers are instructed to extend the closure toward the middle lanes and median and to move down toward Exit 23 southbound to shut down the flow of traffic. Units coordinate to have vehicles pass them, exit, and block ramps, while others slowly move up to Exit 22 to start directing drivers off the interstate.

Fire command notifies dispatch that a hazardous materials team is responding to the crash area on I-85 northbound at Exit 23, and they coordinate for the hazmat unit to approach via Lowell using the same route as earlier-arriving units. At the same time, officers on the interstate report they are going car to car to manage the backup and figure out how to handle trucks while slowly moving traffic toward Exit 22 for diversion.

Officers report that they and a local officer are positioned before the Exit 21 ramp but that drivers are still getting onto the highway even as lanes are blocked. A unit at the top of Exit 22 requests another officer because traffic there is becoming chaotic, and dispatch notes that city police are also trying to reach the area to help with control.

Units confirm the exact crash location as I-85 northbound at Exit 23 while one officer passes the scene on the southbound side and notes that fire and county crews are already there. Dispatch advises that state troopers will handle the crash investigation and that the closure is expected to last more than two hours, prompting a request to transportation officials for engineers and warning signs.

Fire personnel request an additional law enforcement officer to block the inside lane of I-85 southbound just before Exit 23 because vehicles are running up on the scene. They report that some drivers have managed to leave the traffic queue, easing the situation somewhat, but officers still need help slowing traffic and preventing secondary crashes.

As officers work the closure, they report that cars are still running up on them and that another wreck is occurring nearby while they manage the blocked lane. Patrol supervisors authorize fire crews to place a sheet over a body at the scene because passing drivers are slowing down to look, and units discuss the best way for additional officers to access the interstate from Exits 22 and 23.

Medical crews confirm that one person has died in the crash and that another driver has survived but suffered serious injuries. The surviving driver is transported to a nearby hospital, and troopers ask that a unit swing by the hospital for follow-up while dispatch notes the fatality in their records.

Dispatch confirms that all northbound lanes of I-85 near Exit 23 are closed and that two lanes on the southbound side are also shut down as the investigation continues. Fire crews then advise that they are shutting down the remaining southbound side as well, and troopers coordinate to keep all responding crew members aware of the extended closure while planning for eventual clearing.