Jacksonville man dies in crash that blocked I-95

Traffic was diverted off C.R. 210 in St. Johns County to U.S. 1 for 8 hours

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The northbound lanes of Interstate 95 reopened to traffic just before 11:30 a.m. Monday, about eight hours after a chain-reaction crash that killed a 59-year-old Jacksonville and injured two other motorists.

The Florida Highway Patrol said the 3:30 a.m. crash on I-95 one mile south of Old St. Augustine Road involved three tractor-trailers, one SUV and one car.

All northbound traffic was detoured at County Road 210 to U.S. 1.

FHP Sgt. Dylan Bryan told News4Jax that one semi hit a large piece of metal on the highway that disabled its brakes, but it coasted to a stop without incident. A second big rig jackknifed when it swerved to avoid the debris, blocking two travel lanes and the emergency lane.

IMAGES: Crash blocks all northbound lanes

An SUV then ran under the trailer, killing the driver, who was identified as Charles Robert Campbell. The driver of that semi was not injured and was identified as 60-year-old Victor Luis Claudio of Plant City.

Two occupants of a fourth vehicle were rear-ended by a third semi when it swerved to avoid the crash. They were taken to Baptist Medical Center South Campus with non-life-threatening injuries.

Troopers described the object in the road as a large piece of metal.

"It seems to be a large piece of aluminum, but it is twisted and mangled after being struck several times," Bryan said.

Bryan said the debris in the road was reported minutes before the crash and a Florida Department of Transportation contractor was sent to clear it, but the crew was still en route when the accident occurred.

Bryan urged anyone who spots objects on the road that could cause a crash to report it by calling *FHP on any cellphone.

A barrier wall was damaged when it was struck by the jackknifed tractor-trailer and had to be replaced before the highway could be reopened.

One after of this wreck cleared, three cars were involved in another chain-reaction crash a few miles further south on I-95. There were six injures, but Jacksonville Fire-Rescue says five of those were minor.