MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. – Florida Highway Patrol troopers are searching for a driver who fled the scene of a chain-reaction crash that left a truck driver dead and Interstate 75 in shambles early Monday morning.
The wreck, which occurred around 6:28 AM near mile marker 220 in Manatee County, involved three vehicles and shut down the southbound lanes for a massive investigation.
According to FHP reports, a black Ford Mustang was speeding south in the left lane when it suddenly swerved into the center lane. The right side of the Mustang clipped a Chevy Trailblazer, sending the SUV spinning directly into the path of a semi-tractor-trailer.
The impact forced the semi to veer southeast before it overturned, landing on its side and top. The wreckage of the truck came to rest across all three southbound lanes and the grass median.
READ: 65-Year-Old Lakeland Woman Dies, Tampa Woman Injured In 2-Vehicle Morning Crash
The driver of the semi, a 34-year-old man from New Smyrna, was killed in the crash. The 63-year-old Palmetto man driving the Trailblazer escaped with only minor injuries.
Investigators say the driver of the Mustang stopped briefly after the collision but then sped off, continuing south on the interstate. Troopers have described the suspect vehicle as a black Ford Mustang featuring distinctive louvers on the back window and what appears to be a stick-mounted camera on the rear. The driver is described as a man with a stocky build wearing a grey hoodie.
By Monday afternoon, FHP released video footage capturing the Mustang, which likely has significant damage to its right side. “Anyone with information regarding the Ford Mustang / Driver is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol via cellular phone (*FHP) *347, or Crime Stoppers,” officials stated in an update.
The Florida Highway Patrol Traffic Homicide Unit is handling the ongoing investigation. They are urging anyone who might have captured dashcam footage of the Mustang or the incident to come forward immediately.
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