7-Vehicle Crash Leaves One Dead, Shuts Down I-75 in Collier County for Hours
COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A deadly chain-reaction crash involving seven vehicles brought Interstate 75 to a standstill for hours Friday morning, leaving one man dead and several others injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash happened in the southbound lanes near Mile Marker 96, where three commercial semitrucks with trailers and four passenger vehicles were traveling when visibility suddenly dropped due to smoke in the area.
FHP investigators say one of the semitrucks came to a stop in the travel lane because the driver could not see through the smoke. A second semitruck then slammed into the back of the stopped truck, triggering a violent chain reaction involving the remaining vehicles.
A 52-year-old man from Madeira Beach was killed in the crash. Two other individuals suffered serious injuries and were taken to a nearby hospital, while another person sustained minor injuries.
Both directions of I-75 were immediately shut down following the crash—southbound at Exit 101 and northbound at Exit 80. Northbound lanes have since reopened, but the southbound side remains closed as troopers continue their investigation and clear the wreckage.
The Florida Highway Patrol says the exact sequence of events in the multi-vehicle collision is still under investigation.
FHP also reported three other crashes that occurred after midnight on northbound I-75 near Mile Marker 95.
Crash 1: Two semitrucks and a pickup truck collided; no injuries were reported.
Crash 2: Four passenger vehicles were involved in another crash, also resulting in no injuries.
Crash 3: A separate incident involved a vehicle striking a guardrail with no injuries.
All three crashes remain under investigation as well.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect significant delays as cleanup and investigative efforts continue.