GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The Gwinnett County Police Department have identified the victims who died in a van crash on Interstate 85.
Six people were killed and 10 others were injured when the passenger van they were in rolled over in the crash near the I-985 split Saturday. Police released the following names of the six who died:
- Alishia Carroll, 34, from Columbus
- Kristie Whitfield, 44, from Mount Airy
- Ashleigh Paris, 26, from Kennesaw
- Tina Rice, 53, from Atlanta
- Normisha Monroe, 38, from Norcross
- Rose Patrick, 34, from Ellabell
Sixteen people in the van were heading to a sobriety meeting in Buford when the crash happened.
Gwinnett police also release the 911 calls from Saturday night.
“The van tried to go from 85 to 985, hit the bank and flipped.”
“They are pulling people out of the car that’s on fire. Some of them are on fire. The pedestrians are taking their clothes off and patting them.“
Thomas reached out to the families of the victims and those who survived the crash. The driver was identified by police as 32-year-old Monica Manire. She survived the crash and told Channel 2′s Tony Thomas she didn’t want to speak publicly out of respect for the other families.
One of those families will gather for a candlelight vigil Saturday and then Sunday for a funeral. Tamika Gooden’s sister Monroe was one of the six victims who died.
“I can’t say enough about her, she was just awesome,” Gooden said.
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From the Gwinnett County police report, Thomas learned “Normy,” as she was called, along with the five others who died were all sitting in the back of the van.
Police are still trying to figure out if another car hit the sobriety group home van or if the driver lost control.
Steve Paris’ daughter Ashleigh also died in the crash.
“I need answers why my daughter is dead,” he said. “My heart is not going to settle until I know what happened. I just can’t blow it off and say it’s just an accident. I need to know what caused the accident. I need closure for my baby girl. She was daddy’s little girl.”
Families said they hope for answers as they prepare to say goodbye to their loved ones, who they believe were finally on the path to recovery and a new life.
“It has just been overwhelming the people who have reached out talking about how much she helped them and encouraged them. And that’s truly just who she was,” Gooden said.
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the crash and have asked anyone who witnessed the crash to come forward.
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