Tuesday February 27, 2024: Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) reports that a 51-year-old box truck driver died Monday after he ran into the rear-end of a box trailer truck in Okeechobee County.
The crash happened in the northbound lane of State Road 15 which in that area is known as SW Connors Highway. FHP got a call about the crash around 2 p.m.
There was construction in the southbound lane along that stretch of State Road 15, just north of Kanner Highway. The southbound lane was closed and a flagger had called a temporary stop to the northbound traffic allow southbound vehicles to get past the construction area.
The victim, driving a 2016 Hino box truck was traveling north right behind a 2022 Mack Anthem Semi Truck, with a 53ft Box Trailer.
The Mack truck driver was slowing to a stop in response to the flagger's instructions, the driver of the Hino ran into him and died from his injuries.
FHP reports that the victim was from Okeechobee, but his name was not released because his next-of-kin had not yet been informed.
The 38-year-old Mack truck driver from Stuart suffered minor injuries and was transported to Martin South Hospital.
Both the north and southbound lanes along that part of SR 15 were closed for a few hours Monday afternoon until the two trucks, and the debris from the crash was cleared, and to allow FHP to conduct its investigation.
