A Gainesville, Georgia, man is facing charges, including eight counts of vehicular homicide and one count of feticide, after a horrific semi-truck crash on Monday, Oct. 13, claimed the lives of eight members of the same family, including five children.
Kane Aaron Hammock, 33, was arrested after the multi-vehicle wreck on I-85 in Commerce, about 70 miles northeast of Atlanta.
According to the Georgia State Patrol, Hammock, driving a semi-trailer, was following “too closely” when he struck a Dodge Caravan from behind, triggering a massive chain-reaction crash involving four other vehicles.
Tragedy on I-85
The impact was catastrophic. All eight occupants of the Dodge Caravan—three adults and five children—were killed instantly. Authorities noted that one of the adults was possibly pregnant, leading to the serious feticide charge. The names of the victims have not been officially released but were identified by family members to local media.
Adding to the shock, the Georgia Department of Public Safety confirmed that Hammock was driving with a suspended license at the time of the fatal crash.
Cats Scatter in Rescue Van Wreck
The tragedy extended beyond the human victims, involving a van from Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters that was transporting 37 cats. The nonprofit reported on Facebook that their van was “crushed” in the wreck, causing many of the terrified cats to scatter. RELATED: Georgia Crash Claims 8 Family Members, Including Pregnant Mother And Five Children
While the driver of the animal rescue van was released from the hospital after receiving stitches, two of the 37 cats remain missing as of Tuesday, Oct. 14, according to Furkids.
Hammock is facing multitude of serious charges. The crash is currently under investigation by both the Georgia State Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
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