Officer Chuck McPhilamy of the Marietta Police Department announced in a public information release that a crash on I-75 near the exit ramp for the Canton Road Connector at 2:56 a.m. this morning resulted in a life-threatening injury.

The public information release described the accident as follows:

The preliminary on-scene investigation revealed that a 2012 Kia Rio LX, driven by twenty-five-year-old Neelands Somarriba of Marietta, was stopped for unknown reasons, in the roadway of Interstate 75 Northbound near exit ramp 267B. A 2017 GMC Sierra C2500 H truck, driven by fifty-six-year-old Michael Brown of Marietta, was traveling North on the same roadway. The GMC truck struck the rear of the stopped Kia Rio, causing the truck to exit the roadway. A 2020 Mazda CX-5, driven by twenty-nine-year-old Gerald Jackson of Rome, also traveling North on the same roadway then struck the Kia Rio. Brown, Jackson and Jackson’s passenger were all interviewed on scene and released. Somarriba was transported to WellStar Kennestone Hospital with life threatening injuries. No charges have been taken and the crash remains under investigation.

Anyone who witnessed or has information regarding this crash is asked to contact Marietta S.T.E.P. Investigator Joshua Madison at (770) 794-5357.

The MPD STEP Unit

The website of the Marietta Police Department describes their STEP Unit as follows:

STEP is responsible for investigating fatal and serious injury traffic accidents as well as hit and run accidents. Officers assigned to STEP unit work varying hours and days to respond to specified needs of the community. Through STEP, the Marietta Police Department is also a participant in the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety HEAT program. This program is used to combat aggressive driving, impaired driving, and safety belt usage.