A three-vehicle crash brought southbound traffic on I-75 to a standstill early Tuesday morning after a vehicle struck a semi-trailer hauling fruit trees, spilling its contents onto the interstate.
Jerome Coleman and Wendy Sweat, of Douglas, Ga., were traveling southbound in the semi-trailer on I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard around 6 a.m. when they were struck from behind, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Another semi-trailer, driven by 53-year-old Juan Lozano of Tavares, struck them while attempting to overtake them.
Coleman and Sweat pulled off to the side, and the doors of their trailer were damaged and the fruit trees spilled onto the roadway, troopers said. Lozano, who suffered minor injuries and was taken to Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, brought his vehicle to rest on the inside median.
Soon after, troopers say 25-year-old Rachel Huertas, of Lutz, was not injured after she struck some debris on the road..
Troopers responded to the crash soon after 6 a.m. The crash and cleanup forced troopers to completely halt all traffic through I-75, redirecting it through I-275 until 9:30 a.m.
The crash forced motorists to be diverted off I-75 at the apex and onto I-275. The debris has since been cleared.
Contact Devin Rodriguez at drodriguez@tampabay.com or Follow @devinreports on Twitter