Three people were transported to local hospitals Tuesday afternoon following a three-vehicle collision that left an ambulance overturned on its side and gridlocked northbound traffic on Interstate 75 for multiple hours.
The incident was one of two separate afternoon crashes that disrupted traffic on the highway on Tuesday, May 19.
The first accident occurred at approximately 3:36 p.m. in the southbound lanes of I-75 near mile marker 358. According to data from the Florida Highway Patrol, that initial crash resulted in injuries, though traffic was moving normally in the southbound lanes by 5:15 p.m. with no active roadblocks.
Shortly after, at approximately 5:00 p.m., a much more severe collision occurred near mile marker 354 in the northbound lanes of the interstate.
First responders from Ocala Fire Rescue’s Engine 1, Rescue 1, Squad 1, Battalion Chief 22, and a Safety Officer were dispatched to the scene. Upon arrival, emergency crews discovered a three-vehicle crash involving two personal vehicles and an American Ambulance transport van that had rolled over onto its side.
Before first responders arrived, helpful bystanders on the highway jumped into action, successfully evacuating a patient and two transport personnel from the overturned medical van.
All three individuals were loaded into responding emergency vehicles and transported to nearby hospitals for further evaluation. No other injuries were reported from the scene.
The collision caused severe rush-hour gridlock along the interstate. The two left-most lanes of northbound I-75 remained completely blocked for roughly an hour and a half, causing notable bumper-to-bumper traffic delays stretching from mile marker 352 onward.
Florida Highway Patrol troopers, Marion County Fire Rescue crews, and FDOT Road Rangers all responded to assist with the injured, clear the wreckage, and manage traffic flow.
The blocked lanes were finally cleared and reopened to normal traffic at approximately 6:30 p.m.