A 67-year-old Road Ranger's act of roadside assistance ended in tragedy early Saturday morning on Interstate 95 in St. Lucie County, when a vehicle struck and killed him while he was helping a stranded motorist. The incident took place around 3:40 a.m. near Mile Marker 124 on I-95 North, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Road Ranger, a Fort Pierce resident, was tending to a disabled Dodge Charger on the left shoulder of the highway, as CBS12 reported. An approaching Nissan Murano, driven by a 28-year-old man from Royal Palm Beach, veered off the roadway and collided with the ranger and his truck, the impact of which sent the Nissan careening into the Charger as well.
The Road Rangers are an initiative of the Florida Department of Transportation offering complimentary services to help drivers with issues such as changing tires or jumpstarting their vehicles. The ranger was pronounced dead at the scene. According to details provided by the FHP and covered by WPBF, the tragic incident unfolded just two miles south of the Midway Road exit.
The Nissan Murano was carrying four passengers at the time of the crash, all of whom, alongside the driver, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while, the occupants of the stalled Dodge Charger have not been detailed in reports. The FHP has not disclosed the identity of the Road Ranger pending notification of next of kin and is continuing its investigation into the specific causes of this fatal crash. The inquiry remains ongoing.
