BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. – A motorcyclist from Merritt Island was killed in a series of crashes involving five vehicles Saturday night on Interstate 95 in the Mims area, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The wreck occurred around 9:03 p.m. in the area of mile marker 223 (north of State Road 46), prompting a roadblock of I-95′s southbound lanes which remained in place until 3:06 a.m. Sunday, troopers said.
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According to an FHP crash report, the driver of a Kia Forte traveling southbound in the inside lane told troopers she swerved to avoid a vehicle changing lanes ahead of her. The Kia ran off the roadway left and struck the center median guardrail, rotating and coming to final rest facing west and blocking the inside and center southbound lanes, the report states, adding the driver and a passenger in the Kia then exited the vehicle.
The driver of a Nissan Rogue traveling south in the inside lane was unable to avoid the Kia ahead, troopers said. The Nissan reportedly stuck the Kia’s rear and came to final rest in the inside southbound lane, where its driver and a passenger then exited the vehicle as well.
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A 46-year-old Merritt Island man riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle southbound in the inside lane was also unable to avoid the Kia, the report states. The front of the motorcycle struck the Kia and the man was thrown from the bike, landing on the inside paved shoulder, troopers said.
Another Harley-Davidson motorcycle traveling southbound in the inside lane did manage to avoid the obstruction however, its driver parking the bike facing northbound on the inside paved shoulder and disembarking, according to the report.
Then, a Dodge Challenger traveling south in the inside lane unsuccessfully attempted to swerve and avoid the Kia, troopers said. The front right of the Dodge struck the Kia’s rear and ran off the roadway left, striking the Merritt Island man lying on the inside shoulder before hitting the center median guardrail, the left side of the Nissan and the front of the parked motorcycle, according to FHP.
The Merritt Island man was pronounced dead at the scene, troopers said.
Of the other vehicles, everyone involved in the crash remained on scene, with the Kia’s driver and passenger along with the driver and passenger of the Nissan hospitalized for treatment of minor injuries, the report states.
FHP is still investigating.
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