A fatal crash on I-95 in Nassau County Monday around 11 a.m. closed the northbound lanes of the interstate, rerouting all traffic and causing mass delays.
Florida Highway Patrol confirmed the death of a 91-year-old man from Jacksonville. As reported by FHP, the man was alone in the car — a blue Hyundai sedan — and “was merging from the right shoulder into the right travel lane of Interstate 95 northbound within Nassau County.” A tan semi truck tractor driven by a 46-year-old man from Bowling Green, Ky., was reportedly driving in the right lane of I-95 northbound when the sedan pulled into the lane.
“After the collision, both vehicles became engulfed with flames,” the FHP report reads.
The driver of the semi was transported to the hospital with “minor” injuries, while the driver of the sedan was pronounced dead on scene.
The crash and ensuing vehicle fire closed the interstate for all northbound traffic from the time of the crash into the afternoon. Authorities directed traffic off the interstate and onto U.S. 17 to avoid the crash site.
Traffic was backed up for hours along U.S. 17 and S.R. 200 heading back toward the interstate from U.S. 17.
As school got out, parents and buses had a harder time than usual getting students home. The Nassau County School District encourages parents to use the Here Comes the Bus app to track their children’s buses during times like this.
At least one other accident with non-fatal injuries happened along U.S. 17 in the midst of the heavy traffic.
hdorman@fbnewsleader.com