Driver killed after fiery chain-reaction crash shuts down I-85 in DeKalb County, GSP says

One person is dead after a fiery overnight crash involving multiple vehicles shut down all northbound lanes of Interstate 85 in DeKalb County early Sunday morning, according to the Georgia State Patrol.

The crash happened around 2:11 a.m. on I-85 North just north of Shallowford Road, troopers said.

According to investigators, the crash involved a box truck, a semi-tanker, a Ford F-150 and a Ford Excursion.

Troopers said the investigation determined the driver of the box truck was following too closely behind the Ford F-150 and struck it from behind. The box truck came to a controlled stop on the right shoulder, but the driver fled the scene on foot, according to investigators.

The F-150 came to a stop in the left lane near the median wall. Authorities said while DeKalb County police were blocking the right lane near the original crash scene, a Ford Excursion traveling in the second lane from the left struck the F-150, causing it to rotate into a third lane of traffic.

Investigators said a semi-tanker traveling in lane three then struck the F-150, causing the tanker to catch fire.

Troopers said the driver of the F-150 was ejected from the vehicle and transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where the driver was later pronounced dead.

The identity of the victim has not yet been released.

The crash remains under investigation by the Georgia State Patrol.