Breaking News: Truck Driver Arrested After Fiery I-85 Crash Claims Eight Lives, Including Five Children

Atlanta, Georgia — October 14, 2025 — According to authorities and 19 News, a truck driver has been taken into custody following a devastating multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 85 that killed eight members of one family, including five children.

The deadly crash happened in Jackson County, roughly 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, when a semitrailer rear-ended a Dodge van carrying the victims. Investigators reported that the van burst into flames after impact, and several other vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction crash immediately afterward.

Officials identified the truck driver as 33-year-old Kane Hammock of Gainesville. He faces multiple felony charges, including eight counts of second-degree vehicular homicide, second-degree vehicular feticide, following too closely, distracted driving, and operating a vehicle without a valid plate.

According to the Georgia State Patrol, seven of the van’s occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. A search later revealed an eighth victim’s body at the crash site.

Family members identified those killed as Kenia Ramirez and Darwin Ventura, their child Kayle, and Sonia Maribel Ramirez, Kenia’s mother, along with children Justin, Andy, Natali, and Evan. The five children ranged in age from two to sixteen. Relatives said Ramirez was pregnant at the time of the crash.

The tragedy has devastated the close-knit family, who described the victims as hardworking and deeply connected to their community. “They were all together, always smiling,” one relative said. “Now, they’re all gone.”

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Georgia State Patrol have opened a joint investigation into the crash. The investigation will focus on whether speed, distraction, or mechanical failure contributed to the fatal sequence of events.

Authorities continue to reconstruct the collision to determine how quickly the truck traveled and whether the driver took any evasive action before impact.

At Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt, our experienced Charlotte personal injury attorneys are committed to assisting crash victims and their families in navigating the legal process.

Your Injury, Our Fight. How can we help you take a stand? Call 704-377-3737 or contact us online.

Notes: Our team created this post using secondary sources and has not independently verified all the facts surrounding the accident. If you find any incorrect details, please contact Dewey, Ramsay & Hunt so we can update the post with the most accurate information. This post will be removed if requested.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is not intended to be legal or medical advice and is not a solicitation for business. The photograph used in this post is not representative of this accident. If you are injured in an accident, seek medical attention immediately, then speak to a North Carolina personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.