According to the Highway Patrol, around 7:15 a.m. a truck transporting water and produce was parked on the paved shoulder of southbound Interstate 75 near Riverview to have two flat tires fixed, WFTS reported. The driver of a second truck then "failed to maintain a single lane, partially entered the outside shoulder and collided with the rear" of the truck, the television station reported.
Parts of each truck were sheared off, WTSP reported. The impact caused papers and cardboard to fly out of the truck, WTVT reported. Crews cleared the highway of paper and debris, using blowers, the television station reported..
The Highway Patrol identified the driver of the truck carrying mail advertisements as Michael Richardson, 58, of Charlotte, North Carolina, WTSP reported. The driver of the produce truck was identified as Emmanuel Bellamy, 25, of Opa-locka, Florida.
Richardson suffered serious injuries and was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries, according to the Highway Patrol. The crash snarled traffic on the interstate for more than two hours, WFTS reported.
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