Update: Woman Identified in Fatal Wrong-Way Crash

Update Sept. 22, 3:34 p.m.: The Florida Highway Patrol has identified the driver in Monday morning’s fatal wrong-way crash on I-75. The driver of the car was Jessica Rey Mahn, 25, of New Tampa. She was taken to Bayonet Point Medical Center, but later died from injuries sustained in the wreck.

Update Sept. 22, 9:42 a.m.: All southbound lanes are now open, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Update Sept. 22, 8:07 a.m.: The Florida Highway Patrol has once again closed all southbound lanes to facilitate removal of the vehicles involved in the crash.

Update Sept. 22, 7:16 a.m.: The outside southbound lane has reopened to traffic, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Earlier:

An early Monday morning crash along Interstate 75 has left the southbound lanes closed north of State Road 52.

The incident unfolded around 4:35 a.m. when the Florida Highway Patrol began receiving reports of a wrong-way driver traveling northbound in the southbound lanes just north of State Road 52, Sgt. Steve Gaskins said in an email to media. The 2012 Nissan was in the inside lane, which was also occupied by a tractor trailer hauling beverages, Gaskins said.

“When the commercial driver observed the oncoming vehicle he attempted to avoid a collision by moving to the outside lane,” Gaskins said. The driver, however, was not successful and the Nissan collided with the left side of the truck.

After the crash, the tractor trailer came to a controlled stop, but the Nissan went into the median and onto a concrete barrier wall. The Nissan’s driver was seriously injured and she was taken to Bayonet Point Medical Center for treatment. The woman driving the Nissan later died at the hospital. She has not been identified by the highway patrol as of yet.

The truck’s driver, Slawomir Plonski, 42, of Port St. Lucie was injured.

The crash has closed the southbound lanes of I-75. At 6:20 a.m., Gaskins said lanes could be closed for one to two hours.

This is the second wrong-way incident in two days in the Bay area. On Sunday, a Chamberlain High School teacher was involved in an incident in Hillsborough County.

Stay with Patch for updates as they become available.

Photo credit: A picture of the crash courtesy of the Florida Highway Patrol

See Also:

• Chamberlain Teacher Involved in Wrong-Way Driving Incident