The Florida Highway Patrol says that a car driving very slowly in front of a semi truck during a downpour likely led to a pileup crash involving dozens of vehicles, shutting down I-10 for hours yesterday.
The crash was reported yesterday around 5:30 p.m. between mile markers 199 and 200 on westbound I-10 in Tallahassee, according to WCTV.
The Florida Highway Patrol says that while heavy rain was hitting the area, a car driver was driving slower than the rest of traffic in front of a semi truck. The truck driver tried to take evasive action to avoid the car but then crashed into another semi truck, causing that second truck to jackknife and block all lanes of westbound I-10.
Large multi-vehicle crash has all westbound lanes of I-10 closed in Tallahassee. Looks to be at least 15 vehicles involved from these @MyFDOT_NWFL cameras. pic.twitter.com/Tl7jmlSeOc
— Alex Yoder (@AlexYoder) July 24, 2018
This initial crash triggered at least seventeen chain reaction crashes involving 45 vehicles total.
Eight people were hurt in the pileup, including one motorcyclist who rear-ended a Ford pickup truck and who is now being treated for critical injuries.
The crash shut down I-10 for more than five hours.
Florida troopers say that they may issue charges pending the results of the ongoing investigation. Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to call (850) 245-7700.