ORLANDO, Fla. – A wrong-way driver caused a crash Monday morning on State Road 408 in Orange County, according to the Central Florida Expressway Authority.
The wreck happened on eastbound S.R. 408 east of Old Winter Garden Road, just before John Young Parkway, around 4:50 a.m. Eastbound lanes of S.R. 408 were closed in the area, but all lanes were reopened around 9 a.m.
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Brian Hutchings, of the Expressway Authority, said the wrong-way detection system on the toll road worked properly, but the driver continued onto S.R. 408 and crashed before the vehicle could be stopped.
Florida Highway Patrol said a 2002 Lexus ES300, driven by a 36-year-old man from Apopka, was traveling west in the eastbound lanes before it crashed into another car near mile marker 7.The 36-year-old man was taken to the hospital in critical condition while the driver of the other vehicle, a 43-year-old Orlando man, was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.
Video from the scene showed one vehicle with heavy damage to its front end and another with damage to its front left side.
FHP is investigating the crash.
No other details, including where the driver got onto S.R. 408, have been released.
Check back for updates.
UPDATE: ALL eastbound lanes of SR-408 at John Young Pkwy are now OPEN pic.twitter.com/NGpMzI5Dnd
— “Trooper Steve” Montiero (@TrooperSteve_) June 20, 2022