Deadly SUV Rollover on I-75 Leaves Driver Dead, Two Critically Injured, and Roadway Blocked for Hours
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Roadway Patrol says its investigation is “active and ongoing” as it seeks to figure out what caused an SUV to flip over on Interstate 75 near Gainesville on Monday evening, killing the driver, injuring five others, and blocking the busy roadway for hours.
Four of those injured in the crash were youngsters, one a six-year-old in critical condition. Another passenger, a 30-year-old woman, was also listed in critical condition.
Authorities did not identify anyone involved in the accident but did state that they were all from Beverly Hills, Florida, a small village in Citrus County about 60 miles south of Gainesville.
According to the highway patrol, the accident occurred around 5:35 p.m. Monday in the southbound lanes of I-75 near the Southwest Williston Road exit. The SUV’s driver, 33, perished in the crash, according to the patrol.
Other passengers included a 13-year-old girl who had critical injuries, as well as 5- and 8-year-old girls who received minor injuries.
The cause of the SUV’s rollover was not immediately known. That part of I-75 has at least three lanes in each direction, separated by a broad grass median. It is frequently used by heavy truck traffic, and many drivers regularly exceed the 70 mph speed limit and change lanes abruptly.
The highway patrol stated that neither adult was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the collision. It was unclear whether the kids were belted in.
Following the accident, authorities stopped all southbound lanes of I-75 for several hours on Monday night. While cleaning debris from the incident, deputies and police from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office and the Gainesville Police Department directed vehicles to Archer Road.
“The outcome of this incident was tragic, as any loss of life is one loss to many,” the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Facebook post. The organization expressed “heartfelt condolences to those who lost their loved one yesterday.”