Martin County - Wednesday May 1, 2024: A wrong-way driver in a van, heading south in the northbound lanes of Florida's turnpike, crashed head-on into a semi-truck shortly before 10 a.m. this morning in Martin County.
Martin County Fire Rescue (MCFR) responded to the crash and found two people injured. The man in the van suffered critical injuries and was flown by a LifeStar helicopter to Lawnwood Medical Center with what were said to be "life-threatening injuries." As of Wednesday afternoon he was listed in stable, but critical condition. His name has not been released but a Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) news release says he was born in 2003, and he is from Coral Springs.
The semi-truck driver was taken to Cleveland Clinic Martin South Hospital, where he was treated for minor-injuries. His name has not been released either, but he is reported to be from Reddick, born in 1975, according to the FHP.
FHP says the driver of the van was in a white 2017 GMC Econoline. He was initially traveling in the southbound lanes, but used a U-Turn slot at mile marker 134 in the Turnpike to cross over into the northbound lanes, where he continued to head south. When he reached mile marker 133, near the Martin Downs Boulevard exit, he crashed head-on into a 2007 RED Columbia Freightliner semi-truck.
The northbound lanes were shut down for about 3 hours and re-opened at 1 PM Wednesday afternoon after the roadway debris and fuel spill were cleaned up.
