A chaotic and tragic sequence of events unfolded on Interstate 4 early this Memorial Day morning, leaving a 23-year-old Tennessee man dead after he was struck by multiple vehicles following an initial single-car crash, the Florida Highway Patrol reported.
The fatal incident began to unravel around 3:30 a.m. near Mile Marker 64, a busy corridor especially during holiday periods.
According to FHP investigators, a 2024 Kia Forte, driven by a 23-year-old Kissimmee man, was navigating the westbound I-4 exit ramp to U.S. Highway 192 when the driver lost control on a right-hand curve.
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Troopers say the driver failed to negotiate the curve and veered off the roadway, striking an inside shoulder guardrail. The impact sent the vehicle airborne, causing it to collide with a tree and a barrier wall before overturning.
Both the driver and his passenger, identified as a 23-year-old man from Clarksville, Tennessee, were able to climb out of the wreckage.
The driver of the Kia subsequently walked to a nearby hotel to get help and was later transported to a local hospital with what officials described as minor injuries.
However, the passenger’s actions took a devastating turn.
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Troopers said he walked northeast from the crash scene, crossing the eastbound lanes of I-4. But as he attempted to cross the westbound lanes, he was struck by an approaching 2024 Honda Odyssey, driven by a St. Petersburg man.
Investigators say the impact threw the Tennessee man into the center lane, where he was then reportedly struck by at least one other vehicle.
The 23-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported in connection with the incident.
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