Earlier today, a tragic incident unfolded on Interstate 10 near the I-295 split in Jacksonville, leading to the death of a 72-year-old woman. Florida Highway Patrol reported that the accident happened at around 2:05 a.m., when a sedan—stopped on the right shoulder of I-10 East—attempted to merge back onto the highway and collided with a semitruck traveling in the outside lane. The impact propelled the sedan into a "DOT traffic sign support pole" on the right outside shoulder, according to First Coast News.
Troopers have indicated that the driver of the sedan, a 72-year-old Jacksonville man, "failed to ensure it was safe" before trying to merge into traffic. First Coast News reports that the woman, who was a passenger in the sedan, died following the crash. The driver of the sedan sustained minor injuries in the collision. The semitruck driver, a 47-year-old man from Lakeland, was not injured.
The eastbound lanes of I-10 were closed for several hours as a result of the accident, causing significant traffic disruption throughout the morning commute. Florida Highway Patrol's crash report detailed how the sedan, after impacting the semi, was forced into a traffic sign support pole, where it came to a final rest on the outside right shoulder.
Investigations by the authorities are ongoing to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the crash. Maintaining a narrative strictly attached to the facts, Action News Jax relayed a statement from the Florida Highway Patrol: "The driver of the sedan failed to ensure it was safe to merge."
