2 overturned trucks block I-10 for nearly 3 hours

Multiple vehicles involved in crash; FHP says highway damaged

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol says a five-vehicle crash that snarled traffic on Interstate 10 Friday morning began when a dump truck blew a tire and overturned. All three eastbound lanes near Chaffee Road were blocked from just before 6 a.m. until after 9 a.m.

Recommended Videos



While no injuries were reported, debris from the crash spilled onto I-10, and road damage kept the lanes closed for three hours.

"Preliminary reports shows that a tractor-trailer, a dump truck, carrying aggregate material, which is like a sand material, experienced an equipment failure, had a tire blow out and lost control of the vehicle due to that blowout," said FHP Sgt. Dylan Bryan. "In the process of him overturning and coming to a rest he struck another pickup truck that was pulling a utility trailer and came to rest in the roadway behind us. Three additional vehicles were involved as well. They were only struck by the debris from this crash as everything was coming to a close."

The truck driver did complain about a sore shoulder, but no one was transported to the hospital. The sand was cleared from the highway and lanes reopened after the Florida Department of Transportation finished their inspection.

FDOT crews reported asphalt damage on the roadway but upon further inspection, it was determined that emergency repairs were not needed. To alleviate traffic, they opened all the lanes.

However, DOT crews went back out after traffic recedes to plan out how and when they can repair damaged asphalt. The repairs will not take place Friday. Instead, FDOT will choose a time and date that will have the least impact on traffic to repair the road. They may result in shutting down one lane for repairs. 

The driver of the dump truck was cited for careless driving.

Also Friday morning, a tractor-trailer overturned on the ramp from I-295 to I-10 westbound. Crews had to clean up 1,200 gallons of crude oil that spilled on the road, and the Environmental Protection Agency is helping with that spill.

The ramp from I-295 to I-10 didn't reopen until after 2 p.m.

"We did experience some fog in the area. I'm not sure if that was a contributing factor to this crash, especially mentioning the fact that preliminary information shows a tire blowout. However, the secondary crash that possibly occurred due to this backup could be weather related, but that's something that remains under investigation," said Bryan.

One witness from the first accident says he was driving along I-10 when he saw the truck headed towards him.

"I just saw my life flashing before me. I saw a dump truck come toward me and I thought it was all over at this point. Miraculously, we were all able to get out of the way and everybody was able to get out OK," said Terron Allen.