Marietta, GA (May 22, 2026) – A multi-vehicle accident on southbound I-75 near the bridge over North Marietta Pkwy left one person dead just before 1 a.m. on Friday. The collision involved two tractor-trailers and a passenger car.
An earlier wreck had shut down all southbound lanes for several hours prior. When the road reopened, a tractor-trailer driven by Mayki Marcelin, 29, of Davenport, FL, remained stopped on the bridge as surrounding traffic began moving again. A second tractor-trailer, driven by Daniel Granados, 35, of Fort Lauderdale, was traveling south in the same lane and swerved to avoid the stopped truck, grazing its left side.
Then a white Volkswagen driven by Gordon Fields, 47, of Marietta, then struck the back of Marcelin’s stopped tractor-trailer, and Fields died at the wreck site. Both tractor-trailer drivers stayed at the scene and are cooperating with investigators. No charges have been filed as of this report, but the investigation is active, with traffic investigators continuing to review the sequence of events leading to the crash.
We offer our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Gordon Fields.
What Hazards Do Stopped Tractor-Trailers Create on Interstate Highways?
A stopped tractor-trailer on a highway presents a serious risk to other drivers, particularly when traffic conditions are changing rapidly. Large commercial trucks take up significantly more lane space than passenger vehicles, and their height can make them harder to spot at night, especially if rear lighting is obscured or visibility is reduced. When lanes reopen after a prior closure, drivers accelerating back to highway speeds may not have enough time to react to a vehicle that hasn’t moved.
Tractor-trailers also have large blind spots and require much greater stopping distances than smaller vehicles. These factors make the moments immediately after a road reopens especially dangerous. Highway safety guidance generally recommends that stopped vehicles activate hazard lights and, where possible, move fully off the travel lanes to reduce the risk of a secondary collision.
