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I-85 Reopens After 100-Vehicle Pileup in Kannapolis During Heavy Snow

Heavy snow turned a minor crash into a mass stoppage, prompting a multi-agency push to free vehicles.

Overview

  • Northbound lanes between Exit 60 (Dale Earnhardt Boulevard) and Exit 63 (Lane Street) closed around 6:30 p.m. and reopened about 9:20 p.m. Saturday.
  • Troopers say a 4:34 p.m. non-injury collision near mile marker 62 involving a semi-truck and a Jeep triggered the immobilization of more than 100 vehicles.
  • More than 30 tractor-trailers were stuck alongside scores of cars as crews worked through heavy snowfall and freezing conditions.
  • Highway Patrol coordinated with NCDOT and six North Carolina National Guard trucks to remove stranded vehicles and urged drivers to avoid the corridor.
  • Kannapolis officials reported over 10 inches of snow, with some reports reaching 14.5 inches, and advised residents to shelter in place due to impassable streets.