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20-year-old Auburn student killed in I-85 pile up Wednesday

According to the Lee County Coroner, Cassidy Meadows, 20, was killed instantly when a tractor-trailer hauling a load of jet fuel struck her vehicle from behind, said Coroner Bill Harris.

<p>Police tape on North Gay Street in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016.&nbsp;</p>

Police tape on North Gay Street in Auburn, Ala., on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2016. 

An Auburn student was killed in a traffic accident on Interstate 85 Wednesday afternoon.

Cassidy Meadows, 20, was killed instantly when a tractor-trailer hauling a load of jet fuel struck her vehicle from behind, said Lee County Coroner Bill Harris.

The Plainsman has confirmed Meadow was a student. 

“Meadows was apparently stopped in traffic due to an accident on I-85 near the 53-mile marker when the tractor-trailer failed to stop for the backed-up traffic and struck Meadows vehicle and two other vehicles from behind, driving Meadows vehicle into the bridge support of the 51 exit,” Harris said.

The pile-up that resulted from the collision pinned Meadows in the wreckage.

“It took Auburn Fire nearly three hours to extricate Meadows from her vehicle due to the severity of the damage,” Harris said.

Harris pronounced Meadows dead at the scene at 12:54 p.m. because of multiple blunt force impact injuries.

At least four other occupants from the other two vehicles involved were transported to East Alabama Medical Center to receive further treatment for their injuries.

The driver of the tractor-trailer was not injured. The fuel load the tractor-trailer was carrying did not leak.

Auburn Police and Lee County Coroner’s office are still investigating the accident. 


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