ATLANTA — A woman was struck and on the side of I-20 East early Monday morning while her car was being loaded onto a tow truck and died, police said.
The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office identified her as 43-year-old Melody Coburn.
The incident happened where I-20 crosses over the Chattahoochee River where Cobb and Fulton counties converge. South Fulton Police Lt. Jubal Rogers said the driver of the vehicle that caused the crash, along with another passenger in that car, were taken to the hospital. Police did not update 11Alive on their conditions.
Monday afternoon there was no word on the status of the driver who struck the woman. However, charges are pending once the investigation is completed, Rogers said.
"It's going to be a complex process as we're piecing together the events that led up to this tragedy," Rogers said. "They'll look into it to see if drugs or alcohol were a contributing factor."
The Douglas County chapter of the sorority Zeta Phi Beta shared a social media post about Coburn on Monday evening. They said she would be greatly missed by many.
South Fulton Police said in a statement: "The incident involved a female motorist who was struck by a vehicle while her car was being loaded onto a tow truck. The collision resulted in the motorist being fatally injured. The SFPD Traffic Unit is actively investigating the circumstances of this tragedy. We extend our heartfelt sympathies to the family of the deceased."
In the wake of this incident, Rogers stressed Georgia's Move Over law. It requires drivers who see first responders or emergency vehicles, such as tow trucks, to move over at least one lane to give them space to work safely. Any driver unable to change lanes must slow down and be prepared to stop. A violation of the Move Over Law could result in a fine of up to $500. In this case, it cost someone else their life.
"This is the beginning of a new year, and this is not how we wanted to start his year by having to notify this woman's family that she was killed by another driver," Rogers said. “It’s vital. Every day, emergency responders and tow truck operators risk their lives helping others on the roadside. So this incident kind of shows how important this is with compliance to the law, and unfortunately, a woman lost her life today.”
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