Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Details Of How Truck Drove Off I-75 Into Alafia River

The crash caused delays on both sides of Interstate 75.

Update 4:23 p.m. June 14: The driver of the semi that went off of Interstate 75 around 12:31 p.m. has been identified as Jeffrey Scott Cook of St. Augustine. He is in serious condition at Tampa General Hospital, according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Cook lost control of the semi while heading south on I-75, Gaskins said. The tractor trailer then hit a concrete barrier wall, overturned and fell 45 feet into the marsh beneath the bridge.

Cook was “immediately rescued by an on-duty Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Deputy with the assistance of an off-duty Hillsborough County Reserve Firefighter,” a highway patrol report said.

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The truck is operated by M.D. Towing of Jacksonville.

Update 3:07 p.m. June 14: All southbound lanes of I-75 are now open except for the inside lane, according to Sgt. Steve Gaskins of the Florida Highway Patrol.

Find out what's happening in Brandonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Update 2:09 p.m. June 14: Southbound lanes of I-75 are closed and there's a "massive backup," according to a Patch editor on the scene.

Earlier:

A flatbed wrecker hauling a bulldozer has driven off of the southbound lanes of Interstate 75 and into the Alafia River, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Heavy traffic in the area has already been reported. 

Stay with Patch for updates. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.