3 killed trying to push stalled car on I-20 in DeKalb County; 1 other in critical condition

DeKalb County police said a car stalled in the roadway and was being pushed when the crash happened.

Three people were killed, including one person who was thrown across the median wall onto the eastbound lanes.

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Police are still working to confirm if all three people were pushing the car or if any of them were inside the car at the time of the crash.

It is unclear if the person in critical condition was with the other victims or in another car. The victims’ names have not been released.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach learned that some of the victims may have been good Samaritans trying to help.

The commander of the Georgia Department of Transportation’s HERO (Highway Emergency Response Operators) unit said that if you’re in a crash and can’t move your car, don’t try to get out, especially on the interstate.

“You want to still stay inside your vehicle, if it’s safe, and wait until an emergency agency gets there,” he said. “Stay in your car and wait for someone to come get you out of that travel lane, but if you can drive it, drive it. In both instances, you’re in a very scary situation either in the vehicle or outside the vehicle, but again, the safest place is inside the vehicle.

Triple Team Traffic’s Mike Shields says the investigation shut down all lanes on both sides of the interstate. I-20 eastbound lanes reopened around 5:45 a.m. and the I-20 westbound lanes reopened around 7:30 a.m.

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