A busy DeKalb County intersection was blocked for hours Friday after a train collided with a tractor-trailer, forcing some commuters to find another way to get on I-20.
The wreck happened around 5 a.m. at the intersection of Turner Hill Road and Covington Highway, according to the Georgia Department of Transportation. The area is just north of I-20 near the Mall at Stonecrest.
Shortly after 2 p.m., the intersection reopened, according to DeKalb police.
The CSX tracks run parallel to Covington Highway. Turner Hill was blocked in both directions for most of the day.
Credit: Ben Hendren for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Credit: Ben Hendren for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The tractor-trailer was hauling cars, according to the WSB 24-hour Traffic Center. Its cab was mangled by the impact.
“My life flashed before my eyes,” truck driver Toree Davis told Channel 2 Action News shortly after the crash. He had already exited the cab and was not hurt.
“I’ve been probably down here (driving) for 20 years, first time that ever happened,” he said.
A CSX spokesperson confirmed no one else was injured.
“CSX appreciates the swift response of local first responders,” the rail transportation company said in a statement. “The incident is under investigation.”
DeKalb police said Friday afternoon investigators had no information on why the tractor-trailer was on the tracks as the train approached.
— Staff writer Alexis Stevens contributed to this article.
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