VENICE — A 46-year-old Port Charlotte man was killed and two other people were seriously injured in a Monday morning crash involving six vehicles on southbound Interstate 75 near Laurel Road exit in Venice.
The Port Charlotte man was not identified. He was the driver of a tractor-trailer carrying concrete, according to a news release from Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash happened at about 8:30 a.m. when traffic had been backed up due to a crash on the interstate at Jacaranda Boulevard, the FHP stated.
“(The Port Charlotte man) was unable to stop prior to colliding with five vehicles that were located directly in front of him,” the news release said. “(His vehicle) then overturned coming to a final rest within the southbound travel lanes.“The Port Charlotte man was pronounced dead at the scene.
His vehicle struck a truck with a 43-year-old Kissimmee, Florida driver who was left in serious condition and another truck with a 43-year-old Sarasota driver who also suffered serious injuries.
The tractor-trailer also hit a pickup with a two other trucks. The other drivers and passengers were not injured.
The crash shut down the interstate southbound for about six hours. It reopened at about 2:20 p.m. Interstate 75 southbound traffic was rerouted onto the Venice-Osprey connector, State Road 681, for hours, causing traffic disruptions throughout the area.