jacksonville, florida – According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a driver driving the wrong way caused a crash on I-95 Friday night before carjacking a FedEx truck, crashing it into downtown, and plunging it into the St. Johns River.
At about 6:50 p.m., the 25-year-old wrong-way driver was heading south in a white Range Rover on the northbound lane of I-95, the FHP report said.
As the SUV approached Emerson Street, it collided with a white Jeep Cherokee traveling north, causing the Jeep to spin and get stuck in the middle of the highway. Collision debris flew into the southbound lane and struck a gray Mercedes-Benz that was driving in the far left lane.
News4JAX spoke with a witness who said he was in the middle lane as his car was nearly hit and was lucky to clear the way.
Dayline Jusino-Velez was driving I-95 North with his 15-year-old son when he saw a Range Rover driving in the opposite direction.
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In the dash cam video taken by Jusino-Velez, you can see the car moving overhead.
“We were on Highway 95 at the university and saw some cars slowing down and turning very close to Emerson,” says Jusino-Velez. “[My son] It quiets down and soon you can see the car in front of you turning right. In just a few seconds, we see this white SUV drive past us. ”
The Troopers said the driver, who drove in the wrong direction, got out of the SUV and removed him from the FedEx truck that had been stopped in the previous crash. The driver who stole the truck headed north on Interstate 95 toward downtown Jacksonville, the report said.
The family identified the FedEx driver as Makayla Collier. Family members say Collier has broken his leg and leg, as well as a fractured skull.
A 25-year-old woman made it to the Hyatt Regency where she hit a lamp post, jumped out of her truck and into the St. Johns River.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department pulled the woman out of the river and she was taken into custody.
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FHP reports that no one was injured in either clash, but when the woman first appeared on Saturday, her attorney, David Barksdale, indicated at least one person was injured during the incident. rice field.
Barksdale also revealed that a woman was under the Baker Act, an involuntary mental health commitment, on Thursday and was released, the incident occurred Friday. Police said she did not appear because she was “obtrusive” and refused to attend.
“I have told the sheriff’s office that I believe she needs treatment that the prison cannot provide. I need her to be treated at a facility that specializes in psychiatric problems.” I made it clear to the prison.
The judge said he was pushing the sheriff’s office to begin Baker Act proceedings for the woman, whose next trial date is set for Sept. 12.
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Note: When News4JAX first reported the story, the name of the woman was not included, as FHP does not publish the names of those involved in the crash. I learned her name from court proceedings, so I won’t add it to the article. Because at the time of her first appearance, she had a history of mental illness, and that history is believed to be related to what happened on Friday. .
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Source: www.news4jax.com
