A pre-dawn collision on a rural stretch of State Road 100 west of Bunnell left one man dead and another injured early Monday, shutting down the highway as troopers and first responders worked a grim crash scene.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a 57-year-old man from De Leon Springs died at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle, a 59-year-old man from Port St. Lucie, was taken for treatment with what authorities described as minor injuries.
How the Crash Unfolded
Troopers say the wreck happened around 5:10 a.m., when a westbound pickup truck drifted out of its lane into oncoming traffic on SR 100 and slammed head-on into an eastbound tractor-trailer. The pickup struck the left front of the big rig, according to News4JAX.
The pickup driver, identified only as a 57-year-old De Leon Springs man, was wearing a seat belt, troopers said. He died at the scene, and authorities confirmed that his next of kin have been notified. The tractor-trailer driver, a 59-year-old Port St. Lucie man, was treated for minor injuries, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The force of the impact left wreckage scattered across the roadway, and State Road 100 was shut down while emergency crews tended to the injured driver, secured the scene and cleared debris.
Where It Happened
The crash occurred on a rural segment of SR 100 about 1.2 miles west of Bertha Road, a link between Bunnell and communities farther west that has become uncomfortably familiar to crash investigators.
That corridor has seen multiple serious collisions in recent months, and local officials have previously pledged stepped-up enforcement there over holiday weekends after earlier fatalities, according to coverage of back-to-back Flagler crashes. Monday’s collision again brought traffic to a standstill as tow trucks removed the damaged vehicles and troopers documented the scene.
Investigation Under Way
Florida Highway Patrol troopers remained on site Monday morning as they launched their investigation into what sent the pickup into the opposite lane. Authorities confirmed the victim’s family had been notified and reiterated that the driver was belted at the time of the crash, according to News4JAX.
Investigators said the tractor-trailer driver sustained only minor injuries. Troopers are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information to contact the Florida Highway Patrol as they continue piecing together what happened in those early-morning moments.
Safety Reminder
Flagler County officials and state troopers have repeatedly urged drivers to slow down, stay off their phones and buckle up along SR 100, especially during busy travel periods. They have highlighted increased patrols and targeted enforcement in recent weeks to curb speeding and reckless driving, according to reporting on stepped-up holiday patrols.
Drivers are advised to monitor local traffic alerts for updates and to follow directions from law enforcement and emergency crews when passing through active crash scenes on the corridor.
