ATLANTA - Authorities say a Georgia Department of Transportation "HERO" operator has been killed while helping a motorist on Interstate 85 south of downtown Atlanta.

Authorities say the crash happened late Monday morning near the Metropolitan Parkway exit. The Georgia State Patrol says the operator had stopped in an emergency lane on I-85 and was outside the vehicle. Authorities say a truck pulling a trailer struck the HERO truck, which then collided with the operator. All the southbound lanes of I-85 were closed for a time after the wreck.