A Georgia man has been formally charged with multiple counts of vehicular homicide following a tragic incident on a state highway, where his semi truck allegedly initiated a devastating multi-vehicle collision. This horrific crash claimed the lives of eight members of the same family, including five children.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety, as reported by The Associated Press, has identified the driver as 33-year-old Kane Aaron Hammock. He faces eight counts of vehicular homicide in the second degree, along with one count of feticide by vehicle in the second degree. Additional charges include following too closely, lack of registration, and failure to exercise due care on Interstate 85 in Jackson County, approximately 62 miles northeast of Atlanta.

The tragedy unfolded in the northbound lanes of I-85 near mile marker 147, close to Commerce, around 4:10 p.m. on a Monday. The accident scene was one of chaos and devastation, with the impact setting off a fiery chain reaction.

Visuals from the incident show the harrowing aftermath on the highway, juxtaposed with Hammock’s booking photo. These images, provided by WAGA/Fox Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, starkly capture the gravity of the charges he now faces.

The crash occurred around 4:10 p.m. Monday along the northbound lanes of I-85, just south of mile marker 147 near Commerce.

Authorities said the semi-truck struck the back of a Dodge Grand Caravan, sparking a “chain reaction” involving four additional vehicles.

The van caught fire after impact, and all seven people inside were pronounced dead at the scene, Fox 5 Atlanta reported. An eighth victim was later found at the crash site.

A damaged vehicle is seen near a semi-truck after a fiery crash on Interstate 85 in Jackson County, Georgia, that killed eight people, officials said. (WAGA/Fox Atlanta)

The victims’ identities have not been officially released, but relatives identified the deceased as Kenia Ramirez and Darwin Ventura, along with their child, Kayle. The couple reportedly had another baby on the way.

Sonia Maribel Ramirez, Kenia’s mother, was also killed, along with her children Justin, Andy, Natali and Evan. The five children were between 2 and 16 years old, relatives told Atlanta News First.

Holly Bennett, with Jackson County Animal Control, rescues a cat from a crash involving a semi-truck and a van used by Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters on an interstate in Jackson County, Georgia, Monday, Oct. 13, 2025. (Tina Walden via AP)

One of the victims may have been pregnant, pending confirmation from an autopsy, officials said.

A van operated by Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters, carrying 37 cats, was also involved in the collision. The shelter said its driver and several animals were injured, and five cats remain missing.