ROWAN COUNTY — An accident on I-85 late Wednesday morning left multiple vehicles overturned and first responders at the scene near exit 63 in the southbound lanes.

Fire, police and EMS services were all on-hand shortly after 10:30 a.m. following a three-car accident occurred on the side of the roadway.

Two of the vehicles involved in the accident were overturned and multiple lanes were closed down as a result.

Traffic was backed up for several miles by 11 a.m. as towing vehicles began to clear the scene and first responders departed the highway as well.

Chris Shugart was driving with his son, Caleb, on the way to the DMV for Caleb to take his driving test when the accident occurred in front of them.

“All he could to was hit the brakes,” Chris noted, mentioning that one of the drivers had attempted to move over from a middle lane while striking another vehicle with a trailer that initiated the accident.

The Shugarts hurried out of their car to help the individuals stuck inside two of the vehicles that had overturned, pulling out a total of six people from the wreckage while a seventh person in a third car was reportedly able to exit on his own volition.

Shugart and his family, including his wife Kelly and three sons, are all involved with the Gold Hill Volunteer Fire Department and that experience helped himself and Caleb to assist those on-site until first responders arrived.