COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. -- The holiday travel weekend was off to a bad start in South Florida Wednesday, when a major fatal crash slowed traffic on Alligator Alley.
The crash happened in the northbound (westbound) lanes of Alligator Alley near mile marker 63. That's near the Collier/Broward county line, midway along the Alley.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, 49-year-old Hector Erazo of Coral Springs was driving his car in the right lane when he ran over a ladder and slowed down. His car was hit from behind by a large truck, which pushed his car off the road and into a utility pole.
The collision caused the truck to swerve then overturn on the roadway.
Erazo was taken to Naples Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The driver and a passenger in the truck suffered minor injuries and were treated at Naples Community.
The overturned truck caused a complete roadblock and vehicles were forced to pass the scene on the shoulder for several hours.
Charges are pending further investigation.
