Gwinnett County

Crash investigation shuts down busy intersection for hours

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A busy Gwinnett County intersection was blocked Thursday after a crash brought down traffic lights and a utility pole early Thursday morning.

The intersection at Jimmy Carter Boulevard and Peachtree Industrial Boulevard was closed most of the day for the investigation and reopened just before 4 p.m.

Channel 2's Liz Artz had live coverage of the work to repair the lines at the intersection on Channel 2 Action News This Morning.

Traffic alert for downed power lines

Police said the crash happened around 1 a.m.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said street racing is to blame for the crash.

"We received preliminary reports that this may have been related to a street race between two vehicles. One of the vehicles lost control and struck a light pole," Gwinnett police Cpl. Leon Washington said.

When police arrived on the scene, neither driver was there and they only found one wrecked car.

"One of the drivers fled the scene with the second car that was involved in the race," Washington said.

Drivers were urged to avoid the area as crews made the repair.

Traffic was backed up for most of the day.

Investigators are trying to identify the owner of the wrecked car and contact nearby businesses to see if they have security cameras that may have captured images of the crash.

Traffic on Jimmy Carter Boulevard - Thurs. Feb. 23, 2017

HEADS UP, DRIVERS: Power lines are down, blocking the busy intersection of Jimmy Carter Blvd. at Peachtree Industrial Blvd.in Gwinnett County. 2wsb.tv/2ltQnMd We're live at the intersection for a look at the progress on Channel 2 Action News at Noon.

Posted by WSB-TV on Thursday, February 23, 2017