US  | 

Semi Plows Into Van in Georgia, Killing All 7 On Board

6 vehicles were ultimately involved in pile-up
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 14, 2025 3:00 AM CDT
Semi Crashes Into Van in Georgia, Killing All 7 On Board
Stock photo.   (Getty Images / Bilanol)

Seven people were killed in a fiery crash on a highway in Georgia on Monday afternoon when a semi-trailer struck a van and it burst into flames, according to law enforcement. The semi-trailer was following too close to the Dodge van on Interstate 85 in Jackson County, about 62 miles northeast of Atlanta, when the crash happened, Franka Young, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Public Safety, said in an email. Seven people in the van died at the scene, the AP reports.

The identities of the people killed have not be released. Four other vehicles also crashed in what officials described as a "chain reaction" after the initial collision, and WCVB reports that an animal rescue organization confirmed one of its transport vans was involved. The driver was injured and five of the 37 cats that were being transported escaped and are missing, the organization says. Other cats were hurt. The crash is being investigated by the Georgia State Patrol's Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team, according to Young.

Read These Next
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X