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Pregnant woman among injured in I-85 side-swipe accident

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Pregnant woman among injured in I-85 side-swipe accident

A serious accident involving multiple vehicles, including a tanker truck, shut down Interstate 85 in north Charlotte for several hours.

All lanes have since been reopened.

The North Carolina Highway Patrol said a pregnant woman's SUV hit debris in the roadway and got a flat tire. She stopped on I-85 and was side-swiped by a tanker truck. There were four other people in her vehicle.

"It could have been worse. (The truck driver) did a really good job. He's hauling hazardous material so if he jackknifed the truck, it could have been worse off than what it is right now," said Henry Dorty Jr. with the highway patrol.

The entire highway was closed for hours while emergency crews work the scene. Firefighters said the tanker truck was leaking fuel.

The accident occurred between Harris Boulevard and Mallard Creek Church Road. The backup on I-85 went on for miles.

Chopper 9 flew over the scene where paramedics could be seen treating multiple patients.

Medic said they took five people, three of them with life-threatening injuries, to Carolinas Medical Center.

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