Questions remain on fiery, fatal I-75 crash near Dalton

Jun. 15—This story was updated with additional information on Tuesday, June 15, 2021, at 4:13 p.m.

A person who died last week in a fiery, single-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 near Dalton, Georgia, has yet to be identified.

According to an incident report from the Georgia State Patrol, the driver of a Dodge Ram was traveling south in the left lane of the interstate when it suddenly ran off the road on June 7. The truck then hit a support beam of a concrete bridge under the overpass on Highway 3.

The truck then hit a second concrete support beam, rotated clockwise, caught on fire and was fully engulfed in flames. Because of the fire, first responders were not immediately able to get close to the truck.

Troopers said there were no brake marks or skid marks on the road, nor was there evidence of a second vehicle involved.

A wheel assembly from the truck was found about 100 to 150 yards away from the initial crash site.

A witness told investigators the truck was speeding in the left lane just before drifting off to the right side of the road.

Cpl. Scotty Smith with the Georgia State Patrol said Tuesday the identification of the person who died has not been confirmed.

Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.