All southbound lanes of I-295 on Jacksonville’s west side were shut down early Monday after a deadly crash just before the Wilson Boulevard exit. Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the chain of events started when a vehicle hit a guardrail, ejecting the driver onto the roadway. Several other vehicles then struck the person, prompting emergency crews to shut the highway and pushing traffic onto nearby surface streets as congestion quickly built.
According to News4JAX, the initial crash happened in the pre-dawn hours, followed by a secondary collision involving three vehicles that hit the ejected driver. The outlet reports that “FHP is asking drivers to find alternate routes,” and notes that the motorists who struck the person stayed at the scene and are cooperating with the investigation.
Traffic detours and commuter impact
Troopers told News4JAX that drivers should exit at Wilson Boulevard and use Blanding Boulevard to re-enter I-295, or take I-10 into downtown and then head south on I-95 to get around the closure. Delays on feeder roads and backups on nearby ramps were reported while crews worked to clear the scene.
How this fits into a pattern
The west beltway has seen several recent high-profile wrecks that shut down lanes. A March crash on the Buckman Bridge similarly closed southbound I-295 and was later upgraded to a fatality, underscoring how quickly collisions in that corridor can snarl traffic across the city. For background on that earlier incident and for real-time camera feeds and alerts, see coverage of the deadly Buckman Bridge wreck and check FL511.
Investigation
Florida Highway Patrol investigators remained on scene Monday morning and have not released additional details about the person who was struck or the cause of the initial crash. Officials are asking anyone who may have witnessed the wreck, or who has dash-cam video from the area, to contact FHP to help piece together exactly what happened.
