Police Release Names Of Victims Of Fiery Gwinnett Van Crash

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — Authorities officially released the names Wednesday of six women who died in a horrific accident on Interstate 85 that left a passenger van in flames.

The victims are Alishia Carroll, 34, Columbus; Normisha Monroe, 38, Norcross; Ashleigh Paris, 26, Kennesaw; Rose Patrick, 34, Ellabell; Tina Rice, 53, Atlanta; and Kristie Whitfield, 44, Mount Airy.

The women were among 16 passengers in a van from the addiction-recovery center We Are Living Proof. Traveling north on I-85 near the I-985 split Saturday evening, the van flipped on its side and caught fire, producing billows of smoke and snarling interstate traffic for hours.

Investigators still don’t know exactly what caused the accident, but witnesses said that another vehicle may have been involved, either directly or indirectly.

Anyone who saw what happened is urged to call the Gwinnett County Police accident-investigation tip line at 678-442-5653.

An earlier version of this article reported in error that Whitfield was from Mount Airy, North Carolina, not Mount Airy, Georgia. Patch apologizes for the error.