Friday Morning Trucking Accident Shuts Down I-95

Traffic on I-95 was stopped in both directions early Friday morning due to a fatal crash involving a box truck loaded with paper. According to the Florida Highway Patrol, at approximately 1:30 am the box truck was traveling northbound on I-95 near State Road 16 in St. John’s County.

The driver of the box truck lost control of his vehicle for an unknown reason and the truck overturned on the interstate, blocking northbound lanes of traffic. A wrecker truck carrying a semi struck the overturned box truck, then struck and broke through the guardrail in the median and crossed into southbound traffic, finally coming to rest in the area just west of the southbound lanes. At the same time, the overturned box truck was also struck by a Chevy Silverado.

The 63-year-old driver of the box truck, a man from Edgewater, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Silverado, also a 63-year-old male, was taken to Flagler hospital, suffering from serious injuries. The driver of the wrecker truck was transported with only minor injuries and was released. It is not known if any of the three drivers were wearing their seatbelts.

It is also not known at this time why the driver of the box truck lost control of his vehicle. It could be due to a number of reasons. The accident occurred late at night and the driver might have been fatigued. Or, he could have had a mechanical malfunction of his vehicle. He might have been distracted by something that he saw or heard, or he may have had a medical emergency. Unfortunately, we may never know the reason behind this horrific accident.

We also have two other victims in this accident that just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. They were in the vicinity of a vehicle whose driver suddenly lost control and the subsequent accident impacted them also. Fortunately, their injuries were not life threatening.

There are many safe defensive driving behaviors and tips that you should use every time you get behind the wheel. We all know to buckle up for safety, but did you also know that the position of your steering wheel and distant from the dash are major factors in how severely someone can be hurt in the event of an accident? Learning all you can about keeping yourself and your family safe in your vehicle can be the difference between serious injury and walking away from an accident.

If you or someone you love has been the victim of a Florida trucking accident, and were not at fault, please contact James O. Cunningham today at 386-243-4994.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.