On Thursday, May 20, at around 10:30 a.m., Florida Highway Patrol troopers responded to a traffic crash on Interstate 10.
The crash took place on the westbound interstate lanes, near the 188 mile marker in Gadsden County.
According to the report issued by the highway patrol, the crash was the result of an intoxicated driver traveling the wrong way on the interstate.
According to the trooper’s report, a 46-year-old man from Mooreland, Indiana was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane.
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man from Chattahoochee was traveling west in the westbound lane, directly in the path of the wrong-way driver.
The highway patrol report that the Chattahoochee driver attempted to swerve and avoid colliding with the wrong-way driver, but was unsuccessful, as the left-front of the Indiana driver’s vehicle struck the left-rear of the Chattahoochee driver’s vehicle in a “sideswipe manner.”
Then, the wrong-way driver collided with a third vehicle, with a 55-year-old driver from Inlet Beach, Florida, before coming to a rest on the north shoulder of Interstate 10.
According to the troopers, the wrong-way driver exited his vehicle and fled away from the scene, on foot prior to the arrival of the Florida Highway Patrol.
With assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s Aviation Unit, troopers report that the driver was eventually located and placed under arrest for the charges of driving under the influence (fourth or consecutive event), driving under the influence with property damage, leaving the scene of a traffic crash, driving with a suspended or revoked license, and resisting an officer without violence.
Florida Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Midway Fire Rescue, and the Gadsden County Emergency Medical Services.
No injuries were reported for either of the other drivers from Chattahoochee and Inlet Beach.
Ashley Hunter – editor@gadsdencountynews.com
