GIBSONTON, Fla. – A tragic series of events on Interstate 75 Sunday morning resulted in the death of a 35-year-old Spring Hill man after he was struck by a vehicle while standing on the roadway following a separate crash. The fatal collision occurred around 5:37 a.m. on the southbound lanes of I-75 near the 250 Milepost, located on the Alafia River bridge.
According to a preliminary report from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the incident began when a Honda Civic, driven by the Spring Hill man, was involved in a single-vehicle crash.
A second vehicle, a Mazda 3 sedan driven by a 20-year-old woman from Louisville, Kentucky, was also involved in a separate, single-vehicle collision just south of the first crash. Both drivers exited their cars and were on the roadway.
The situation turned deadly when a third vehicle, a Chevy Traverse driven by a 41-year-old woman from Brandon, was traveling southbound and collided with the now-disabled Honda Civic. The impact also struck the driver of the Honda, who was standing outside his car, propelling him off the bridge and into the river below.
The FHP report states the man suffered fatal injuries at the scene.
After hitting the Honda Civic, the Chevy Traverse continued on, colliding with the Mazda 3 sedan. The driver of the Mazda was not struck or injured. The driver of the Chevy Traverse sustained minor injuries, while her 34-year-old female passenger was unharmed.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers closed parts of the interstate for several hours while they investigated the crash and crews worked to clear the scene. The investigation remains ongoing.
Source : Tampa Free Press