Tire Blowout Causes I-75 Crash

ALACHUA COUNTY – Several southbound lanes of Interstate 75 were blocked on Thursday, Oct. 28, as a two-vehicle crash was reported in Alachua County. 

According to a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), a 54-year-old Newberry woman driving a sport utility vehicle sustained minor injuries when her vehicle was involved in a crash with a pickup truck.  The truck driver was a 47-year-old man from Indianapolis, Indiana, who was pulling a trailer. 

The driver of the pickup truck was heading south on I-75 at approximately 3:20 a.m.  He was located south of the on ramp for State Road 222/39^th Avenue when the right front tire on the truck blew out causing the driver to lose control. 

According to the FHP, the trailer overturned onto its side colliding into a light pole on the west side of the interstate.  The truck and trailer came to a final rest blocking the middle and right southbound traffic lanes.  The driver of the SUV was unable to see the overturned trailer.  Her vehicle collided into the underside of the trailer. 

The middle and right southbound lanes of traffic were blocked due to the crash.

Both drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. The driver of the pickup truck reported no injuries. 

In Marion County, a 25-year-old Micanopy man was traveling west on County Road 316 when he lost control of his sedan.  The vehicle veered right onto the right grass shoulder when the front of his vehicle collided with a large Oak tree.

The Florida Highway Patrol reports that after the collision the vehicle in which he was driving caught fire and burned.  The driver was pronounced dead on the scene. 

According to the FHP, the driver was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the crash.

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