Traffic along eastbound I-4 in Volusia County was disrupted Saturday afternoon after a violent single-vehicle crash that left one man dead, according to authorities.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the wreck happened just after 1:10 p.m. near mile marker 128. An adult male driving an SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. Troopers noted he had been wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash. Several lanes were shut down while investigators documented the scene and crews cleared the overturned vehicle.
Crash scene and vehicle details
According to Orlando-News.com, which cited a Florida Highway Patrol report, the crash involved a 2017 Chevrolet Equinox traveling in the eastbound lane of I-4. For reasons troopers have not yet determined, the SUV veered to the right and entered the outside grassy shoulder.
Investigators said the vehicle then hit a ditch before slamming into a nearby fence. The force of that impact caused the SUV to roll several times before it finally came to rest on its left side.
Investigation and identification
The driver has not yet been publicly identified. "The Medical Examiner’s Office will contact (us) once they have positively identified the deceased," a Florida Highway Patrol trooper told Orlando-News.com.
The Florida Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate what caused the driver to leave the roadway. Drivers can monitor live incident updates through the Florida Highway Patrol.
Local context
This same stretch of I-4 has seen several serious collisions this spring. A similar single-vehicle fatal crash near Lake Helen on May 30 shut down westbound lanes for hours. We covered that earlier wreck in Deadly I-4 Crash, a reminder of how quickly traffic along this corridor can be thrown into chaos.
The latest crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol by dialing *FHP (*347) from a mobile phone or by visiting the Florida Highway Patrol for guidance on reporting or obtaining crash reports.
