UPDATE (2PM) - Troopers have arrested a 16-year-old driver for leaving the scene of a fiery early morning crash that left a truck driver dead.
The crash happened around 3AM Tuesday near mile marker 211 in Sarasota.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, a tanker truck carrying 8,500 gallons of gasoline was southbound in the outside lane of I-75 when the truck rear-ended a car in the same lane. The truck veered onto the grass shoulder and overturned and erupted into flames.
The driver of the car fled the scene. The 16-year-old driver was later located in Lakewood Ranch and arrested for leaving the scene of a deadly crash and violation of a learner's license restriction.
The driver of the truck, identified as 53-year-old Robert Drewelus of St. Petersburg, died at the scene.
The crash is still under investigation.
All southbound lanes have since reopened.
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UPDATE (1PM) -- FHP reports that just one southbound lane of I-75 remains blocked near mile marker 211. Extensive backups remain in the southbound lanes.
Live traffic changes can be monitored at www.fox4now.com/traffic.
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UPDATE (7:10AM) -- FHP reports that one southbound lane on I-75 has reopened to traffic at University Parkway. The other two lanes are expected to remain closed for several hours.
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SARASOTA, Fla. - One person is dead after a tanker overturned and caught fire early Tuesday morning. The crash closed all lanes on I-75 in Sarasota during clean-up and investigation, but northbound lanes have since reopened.
I-75 southbound is closed between the University Parkway and Fruitville Road exits.
FHP confirmed at least one person is dead, and they believe this was a single-occupant vehicle.
It's anticipated that the southbound lanes will remain shut down.
Southbound detour
- Westbound on University Parkway to southbound US 301, then eastbound on Fruitville Road to Southbound I-75 for re-entry
- Other southbound alternatives are Honore Avenue, Lockwood Ridge Road, or Tuttle Avenue
The fire occurred around 3 a.m.
