MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – A crash involving a van and a semi-truck on I-75 Tuesday afternoon resulted in one fatality and three injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP).
The wreck happened around 3:30 p.m. near mile marker 358, close to the State Road 326 exit. FHP troopers reported that the driver of a Honda van was traveling south in the left lane when the vehicle veered into the grass center median after crossing the emergency paved lane.
FHP says that the van’s driver overcorrected, causing the vehicle to swerve back across all southbound lanes into the merge lane at mile marker 358. A semi-truck traveling southbound in the outside lane attempted to avoid the van by veering right but collided with its right side.
Both vehicles came to rest on the west shoulder of the roadway.
FHP reports that one of the van’s passengers was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver and two other passengers in the van were transported to HCA Ocala Hospital, with two of them last reported in critical condition. The driver of the semi-truck sustained minor injuries. FHP, with the assistance of Marion County Fire Rescue and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), responded to the crash and worked to clear the scene.
Authorities are continuing their investigation into the incident. Names of those involved have not yet been released. Drivers in the area experienced delays while emergency crews managed the crash site.