An Atlanta woman killed Jan. 6 on I-285 after fleeing a vehicle being pursued by a Fayette County deputy has been identified as 17-year-old Jessica Renteria of Atlanta.

Renteria was one of four people in the 1998 Toyota 4Runner who fled after abandoning the vehicle on I-285 near Old National Highway just after 1 a.m., according to Georgia State Patrol Senior Trooper Larry Schnall. The vehicle’s three other occupants are still at large, he said.

The incident began after an off-duty Fayetteville police officer observed a tan 1998 Toyota 4Runner traveling erratically and weaving in and out of traffic, according to Fayetteville Police spokesperson Steve Crawshaw. The officer called in the license number, learning that the vehicle had been stolen in Gwinnett County on Jan. 3. Fayette County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the situation, Crawshaw said.

The vehicle was later spotted near Ga. Highway 74 and Rockaway Road. A Fayette sheriff’s deputy picked up the vehicle heading north on Hwy. 74 at Sandy Creek Road and began pursuit, Fayette Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Belinda McCastle said. The driver pulled into the BP station near I-85 and quickly pulled back on Hwy. 74 and onto I-85 northbound, she said.

The driver of the 4Runner merged onto I-285 eastbound and crashed the vehicle near Old National Highway at 1:11 a.m., according to Ga. State Patrol (GSP) Senior Trooper Larry Schnall. Renteria was struck by an oncoming vehicle after she and the other occupants exited the 4Runner, Schnall said.

Also at the scene, the Fayette County patrol car was struck in the rear by another vehicle after the deputy pulled his car in front of Renteria’s body to prevent other vehicle’s from striking her. The deputy was not in the patrol car and was not injured, Schnall said.

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