Spelman Student Charged In DUI Crash That Shut Down Atlanta Highway

The 20-year-old co-ed failed her DUI test and also faces a charge for possession of a fake driver's license.

A Spelman student has been charged for a wrong-way DUI crash that closed a major Interstate in Atlanta.

In the early hours on Mar. 7, Addison Thornton was driving north on a southbound HOV lane on 1-75/I-85 in downtown Atlanta. While a state trooper tried to stop Thornton, the 20-year-old crashed her 2012 Mercedes-Benz into a 2018 Buick Encore.

After police arrived to the crash, Thornton failed a DUI test. The troopers also confirmed she had driven with a fake driver’s license. According to Fox 5, the collision also led to all southbound lanes for the interstate to close for several hours.

The Buick’s 30-year-old driver and their 28-year-old passenger, both residents of Kennesaw, Georgia, were taken to Grady Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening conditions. However, a 17-year-old passenger in Thornton’s car was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Now, Thornton faces multiple charges regarding the crash, including driving under the influence, driving on the wrong side of the roadway, and serious injury by motor vehicle, in addition to underage consumption and possession of a fraudulent driver’s license.

Further investigation confirmed that Thornton and her passenger attended the all-women’s HBCU. Spelman released a statement on the matter, sharing that both students’ families had been notified of the accident.

“We are aware that two Spelman students were involved in an off-campus traffic accident on March 7, 2025,” shared the school.

“At this time, we are gathering more information and have been in touch with the families of both students,” a spokesperson wrote in a statement.

Thornton remains detained in Fulton County Jail. However, she could also face a lengthy jail stint if convicted of these multiple charges. The public has yet to receive an update on the 17-year-old’s condition, whose identity also remains unknown. The current condition of the other driver and his passenger has also not been revealed.