Semi truck driver entrapped for nearly two hours after I-75 crash
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 39-year-old Maryland man was injured today in a crash that closed southbound I-75 for hours.
According to a release from the Florida Highway Patrol, at about 10:50 a.m., a 26-year-old man from Doraville, Georgia, was driving southbound near the 390 mile marker of I-75 when a tire malfunction caused him to veer into the path of a semi truck driven by a 39-year-old man from Hyattsville, Maryland.
The driver of the semi took evasive action to avoid hitting the other car, ran off the road, and hit several trees. It took nearly two hours for crews to extricate the driver of the semi, who suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, a UF Health Shandscair helicopter landed on the interstate, resulting in a complete closure for multiple hours. As of 3:11 p.m., the right lane was still blocked.
The Georgia man was uninjured; both drivers were wearing seatbelts.
This was a responsible semi-truck driver. Glad nobody was killed.
Wow. From the comments of drivers who were there, and the TENT in the photo, I’m wondering if things are getting a bit overblown and ridiculous whenever anything adverse happens these days?
I’m very thankful this wasn’t any worse than it was.
From earlier reports, I was afraid there were going to be multiple fatalities…
I don’t know what the answer is to all the local crashes on I-75, but I’ll be surprised if the shut it all down with a tent overreaction actually is helpful…
90+ degrees with heat index above 100 then add turnout gear and hydraulic extraction tools you must have rehab for the crews. The last thing you need is a first responder becoming another patient. Their were numerous patients onscene. This accident required at least 5 ambulances, a medical, helicopter, at least 6 engines, two heavy rescues, a hazmat vehicle and 4 district chiefs and tower truck. This accident had many phases due to number of patients, trapped driver, fuel leak, etc. So the tent was needed for full rehab out of the sun. These crews came in at 8 am and still had 20 more hours left on their shift so keeping them hydrated and healthy is vital in this heat with many hours left to respond to calls!
From a firefighter’s mother…THANK YOU!!! And for the previous comment about over reaction… Just know those first responders will ALWAYS respond with the urgency and dedication to all calls without any thoughts of how petty and critical the patient may have been in the past! And just to be perfectly clear, more first responders are killed or injured during crash calls than fires … maybe your inconvenience and over reaction thoughts need to reflect on how fortunate you are to NOT be the one at the front of that line with the front seat view of the tent and helicopter!!!
I had a friend who witnessed it and stopped to help. Won’t let me send the pic she sent. They were certain he couldn’t have made it, the truck was so mangled up. It was a very bad scene, not hyped up
I just passed this accident at 6:09 pm and the right lane is still closed. The truck is still there and it looked horrific. I’m glad everyone lived because from what I seen I didn’t look hopeful. Thank goodness for our emergency workers being able to free the driver and it was because of them cutting that cab open that it looked the way it did because I thought the truck was in that condition because of the accident. The Lord was with them.
I-75 MM390 happens to be the NW 39th Ave interchange. I’m kinda surprised (no snark intended) that they would call in a helicopter that close to the city, but it may have been that if the semi-driver had been entrapped that long, they wanted to get him to the hospital asap once freed.
Ya think?
Was he trapped or entrapped?
I’m so happy that neither driver suffered life threatening injuries. We drove northbound on I75 past the crash site, then saw the longest line of stopped vehicles I’ve ever seen. They were southbound, north of the crash. It was miles long. I’ve also never seen a helicopter parked on an interstate! I feared the worst and happily this wasn’t it. Great job by first responders, and apparently by the truck driver. Hoping for a fast recovery by both drivers!
So glad no serious injuries and especially no deaths. Prayers…
Don’t get mad at me, but from the photo, it looks like they could have opened a lane and no one was transported in the chopper.Glad there were no life threatening injuries!
Speed limit should be lowered. If a posted 70=80mph, then 60=70. I know we all want to ‘get there now’ but look at what its doing to us.
You know everyone is speeding on I-75…
I travel the speed limit or a little faster and do at least a car length braking distance for every 10mph…
There should have been at least 7 car lengths breaking distance here… people tailgate!
They said one vehicle had a tire problem, most likely, with lower speed, and, the exact same situ, it would have happened this same way. It doe not sound like speed had anything to do with the accident in this situ