Fatal crash blocks several lanes of I-20 for hours

ATLANTA — A deadly crash shut down all lanes of Interstate 20 near downtown Atlanta for several hours.

It happened near Hill Street around 10 a.m.

According to Georgia State Patrol, a car traveling westbound changed lanes and hit another car. The driver lost control, the car overturned and the driver was ejected.

The driver was identified as Schemacta Bass of Riverdale. She was injured and taken to Grady Hospital.

Authorities tell Channel 2's Tom Regan that a driver of a flatbed truck had stopped on the eastbound lanes to help people involved in an accident on the westbound lanes.

While his truck was parked in the median, a van struck the truck and flipped several times. The driver of the van was ejected and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the van was identified as James Tatro, 47, of Villa Rica.

“The driver of the big truck behind me on the left shoulder got out to help. There was a person ejected, that was a serious crash in of its self. He was out helping and rendering aid on that crash when someone hit his vehicle driving this way and this is what we’re left with,” said Georgia State Patrol officer James Robillard.

The crash caused gridlock on the interstate was authorities blocked all lanes for hours.

All lanes reopened just after 1:30 Friday afternoon.

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