JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Highway Patrol was working on two separate Friday afternoon crashes with injuries impacting traffic along Interstate 295 on Jacksonville’s Westside and Southside.
The first crash involved a semi-truck and a motorcyclist. It happened on Interstate 295 near Beach Boulevard just before 2:30 p.m. According to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue, the motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
As of 3:30 p.m., there was a miles-long backup because all northbound lanes of I-295 were blocked as officials diverted traffic.
FHP did not provide an update on this crash.
The second crash happened on the Westside around about 3 p.m. All southbound lanes of I-295 just before the Buckman Bridge — heading toward Mandarin — were closed as traffic was stalled for miles.
According to the FHP, a van with a 42-year-old driver, a sports utility vehicle carrying five passengers, including a 4-year-old child and a 1-year-old toddler, and a sedan were driving on I-295, north of US Highway 17.
The report said the SUV and sedan drivers were stopped in the right lane as the van was driving behind them in the center lane. The van driver improperly changed lanes and failed to stop, which caused him to run into the back of the SUV.
The impact caused the SUV to spin out of control, slam into the back of the sedan, overturn on its roof and hit the guardrail.
The van continued forward and hit the back of the sedan as well, FHP said.
Six people were taken to the hospital after the accident.
According to FHP, the van driver was uninjured. The 36-year-old SUV driver and the child suffered minor injuries. Another woman, whose age wasn’t provided, and the toddler suffered serious injuries.
A 72-year-old man riding in the SUV died at the hospital.
The 85-year-old sedan driver had minor injuries.
FHP is continuing an investigation.
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