Tampa passenger killed after vehicle hits FDOT-contracted truck during crash investigation on I-4: FHP

article

MANGO, Fla. - A Tampa man is dead early Friday morning after a vehicle hit an FDOT-contracted truck that was investigating a crash from the previous night on Interstate 4 in Hillsborough County, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

What we know:

Troopers say the series of crashes began around 11:05 p.m. Thursday on westbound I-4 near the Mango Road exit, just east of Interstate 75.

Courtesy: Florida Highway Patrol

According to FHP, a 19-year-old Lakeland woman driving a Kia Sorento lost control of her vehicle while traveling in the inside lane. Investigators say the Kia entered the center lane and was hit by a semi-truck driven by a 53-year-old Wesley Chapel man.

After the crash, both vehicles hit the median and the semi overturned. Troopers say neither driver suffered injuries in the initial crash.

Dig deeper:

While troopers investigated the overturned semi crash, FHP patrol cars and FDOT-contracted Walsh trucks were in the closed inside lane of westbound I-4, according to FHP.

Shortly before 2:30 a.m., investigators say a Toyota Corolla driven by a 23-year-old Tampa man crashed into one of the parked Walsh trucks.

The crash pushed the truck into the nearby Lazy Days RV dealership, where it hit two parked RVs, troopers said.

FHP says the Toyota came to rest in the roadway, and a 23-year-old Tampa man who had been riding as a passenger got out of the vehicle with injuries and was lying in the roadway moments later.

Troopers say a Hyundai Santa Cruz driven by a 73-year-old Riverview man then hit the injured passenger.

The passenger died at the scene from his injuries, according to FHP.

What we don't know:

Troopers have not released the identity of the man who died, and it remains unclear what led the Toyota driver to collide with the parked FDOT-contracted truck.

The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.