Deadly 7-car collision closes I-75 in Collier County for hours

A fatal seven-vehicle collision occurred on southbound Interstate 75 near Mile Marker 96 in Collier County on Friday morning. The accident involved three commercial semitrucks and trailers as well as four passenger vehicles. The incident was triggered by one of the semitrucks stopping in the travel lane due to poor visibility from smoke in the area, leading to a chain reaction of crashes involving the other vehicles. The Florida Highway Patrol reported that one person was killed, two were seriously injured, and one sustained minor injuries in the crash. The exact sequence of events is still being investigated. Southbound I-75 at Exit 101 and northbound I-75 at Exit 80 were temporarily closed but have since reopened. Additionally, three other separate crashes occurred on northbound I-75 at Mile Marker 95 after midnight, with no reported injuries in each incident. The FHP is still investigating all these crashes. Stay updated on this evolving news story by downloading the free Gulf Coast News app for the latest updates on breaking news, weather, sports, and more on your mobile device. You can also watch news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV with the Very Local Gulf Coast app.