KANNAPOLIS — Officials continue to work to determine the identity of a body found Saturday afternoon along Interstate 85.
The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is investigating how the person, who was hit several times before authorities were alerted, got on the roadway.
“We’ve had someone call in today. We have a couple of names we are working on,” First Sgt. Glenn Stokes said Monday.
He said investigators are awaiting confirmation from the N.C. Medical Examiner’s Office.
Authorities believe the death may have occurred hours before the body was noticed on I-85 by a driver.
Several people saw the body about 3:30 a.m., but believed it to be an animal carcass. Authorities know the victim was a white person with red hair.
Highway Patrol officials have said they are looking into whether the person jumped from the Lane Street bridge, died before being found on the roadside or walked in front of a vehicle. The incident shut down both southbound lanes of I-85 for about four hours on Saturday.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the N.C. State Highway Patrol by dialing *47 on a cell phone or by calling 800-233-3151.