Southbound I-75 reopens hours after deadly crash

TAMPA, Fla. - A deadly crash involving multiple vehicles closed the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard for over five hours Thursday, snarling traffic during rush hour.

According to troopers, the crash happened just before 8:30 a.m., when the driver of an SUV lost control for "unknown reasons" and collided with a flatbed tractor-trailer along the inside lanes of the highway. The impact redirected both vehicles to the right side of I-75. 

That's where the vehicles collided with a sedan and another SUV. Troopers said both SUVs rotated over to the median. 

The sedan and flatbed tractor-trailer continued traveling to the right shoulder and collided with two commercial vehicles transporting mobile homes that were stopped along the outside shoulder and merge lane, investigators said.

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One of the vehicles struck a 26-year-old man from Ohio, who was standing outside one of the mobile home transport vehicles. Troopers said he died from his injuries. 

Several of the occupants of the vehicles involved suffered non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to area hospitals, FHP said.

Traffic was at a complete stop with first responders, fire trucks, and patrol vehicles blocking the roadway until the southbound lanes reopened just after 1:30 p.m.