A strange traffic jam on Interstate 85 in South Carolina left a lot of drivers confused Wednesday afternoon until video later revealed deputies were intentionally creating the slowdown to stop a wanted Georgia murder suspect traveling in a semi-truck.
According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, authorities in Cobb County, Georgia, alerted deputies that 43-year-old Andrew Montgomery was believed to be traveling north through South Carolina in a tractor-trailer. Deputies later located the truck on Interstate 85 in Anderson County.
Rather than initiating a dangerous high-speed pursuit involving a semi-truck, deputies coordinated a rolling traffic slowdown using marked patrol vehicles ahead of the truck. The goal was to effectively box the suspect in and prevent the possibility of a chase, something many viewers did not initially realize while sitting in the unexpected traffic backup.
The South Carolina Department of Transportation traffic camera footage quickly spread online as drivers tried to figure out why portions of I-85 had suddenly come to a complete stop. Comments ranged from frustration to confusion, with some commuters later realizing the traffic jam itself was part of the arrest operation.
Deputies Used Traffic To Trap the Semi-Truck
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@foxcarolinanews Law enforcement stopped traffic on I-85 in Anderson County on Wednesday. #foxcarolinanews #foxcarolina #I-85 ♬ original sound – FOX Carolina News
Once traffic had slowed enough, unmarked law enforcement vehicles reportedly activated emergency lights and surrounded the tractor-trailer. Deputies then took Montgomery into custody at gunpoint without incident.
Authorities said the operation was intentionally designed to avoid the possibility of a dangerous interstate pursuit involving a large commercial truck. The suspect was later booked into the Anderson County Detention Center while the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office remained the lead agency handling the homicide investigation.
Viewer Video Shows Deputies Swarming the Truck
A second video later shared with local media shows deputies converging on the truck after the controlled slowdown trapped the semi in traffic.
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@wyffnews4 🚨TRAFFIC TAKEDOWN🚨: Deputies create traffic jam to capture murder suspect on I-85 in Anderson County, South Carolina In the evening hours of Wednesday, authorities in Cobb County, Georgia, notified the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office about a wanted 43-year-old man who was believed to be traveling in a semi-truck. After finding the truck, authorities strategically stopped traffic ahead of the semi-truck to effectively box in the suspect. Deputies said they did this to avoid the possibility of a pursuit. After the truck became stuck in the fabricated traffic jam, unmarked units activated emergency lights and surrounded the truck. The suspect, identified as Andrew Montgomery, was taken into custody at gunpoint without incident. For the latest information, head over to wyff4.com or click the link in our bio #traffic #takedown #arrest #travel #fyp #crime #murder #video #breakingnews ♬ original sound – WYFF News 4
The second video gave many viewers a better understanding of what was actually unfolding on the interstate. What initially looked like random gridlock quickly turned into a coordinated takedown once deputies swarmed the truck from multiple directions.
Many commenters praised the operation for appearing both fast and highly controlled, particularly given the dangers associated with a possible pursuit involving a semi-truck on a crowded interstate.
Some Drivers Questioned Why Deputies Shut Down I-85
Not everyone was thrilled about the manufactured traffic jam. Some online commenters complained about the delays and questioned why deputies did not simply wait to arrest the suspect somewhere else, like a truck stop.
But judging by the traffic camera footage, the operation appears to have unfolded remarkably quickly. While it may be easy to wonder why authorities did not wait for another location, the public still does not know the full circumstances surrounding the suspect’s travel or what risks investigators believed existed at the time.
A murder suspect traveling in a semi-truck creates a very different situation than a typical traffic stop, especially if authorities are trying to avoid a high-speed pursuit involving a massive commercial vehicle.
Rather than allowing the situation to escalate unpredictably, deputies appear to have intentionally created a short-lived traffic slowdown designed to safely contain the truck and take the suspect into custody without incident. Judging by the reaction online, many commenters viewed the tactic as both controlled and surprisingly clever.