The deceased and injured parties in a single-car crash in Jackson County Wednesday night were all in their 20's and from South Carolina, authorities said Thursday morning.
Three people died and two suffered injuries in the crash on Interstate 85 south on the exit ramp to Ga. 98, according to the Georgia State Patrol. Troopers responded around 8:21 p.m.
The Chrysler 200 driver, Rebeccan Toneya Mack, 21, and two passengers, Clifton Gordon, 23, and Jamarkeiz Jenkins, 29, died in the wreck. Mack and Gordon were from Greenville, Jenkins from Mauldin.
"The incident unfolded as a result of a pursuit that was initiated by the Banks County Sheriff’s Office. A deputy spotted a silver Chrysler 200 speeding and driving aggressively on I-85 south and attempted to make a traffic stop," Georgia State Patrol Sgt. First Class Tim Meyer said in a news release. "The driver of the vehicle fled south on I-85 and into Jackson County at speeds exceeding 90mph.
Authorities said Mack attempted to take the Maysville/Commerce exit.
"The vehicle was traveling too fast for the curve and left the roadway off the west shoulder. It struck a traffic sign and a tree," Meyer added.
Of the five people in the car, two suffered injuries and were taken to Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville. Meyer identified them as Zaire Lamond Hewins, 22, and Chrishanique Yeargin, 22, both of Greenville.
Troopers are investigating whether drugs or alcohol were a contributing factor in the crash, according to Meyer.
"It appears there may have been an outstanding arrest warrant for the driver (Rebecca Mack) for failure to appear on a shoplifting charge out of (the) Lilburn Police Department," Meyer said.
AccessWDUN's Rob Moore and B.J. Williams contributed to this story.
Barrier tape marks the scene of Wednesday night's fatal crash on Interstate 85 southbound just inside Jackson County. The wreck happened when a vehicle that was fleeing from Banks County deputies left the roadway.
The investigation continues into a single-car wreck that killed three people and injured two others on Interstate 85 in Jackson County late Wednesday. The incident started when the vehicle fled from Banks County deputies.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2017/1/492367/wreck-during-brief-pursuit-kills-3-injures-two-on-i-85