COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — A 47 year old woman from Naples was killed Thursday morning in a crash involving a tanker truck and two cars near the intersection of Logan Boulevard and Immokalee Road, Florida Highway Patrol said.
Two minor children also sustained injuries and were transported to an area hospital.
The crash happened just before 9 a.m. and caused hours of traffic delays as emergency crews responded to the scene.
According to the crash report from FHP, the semi which was a cargo tanker transporting fertilizer was traveling west on county road 846 approaching Logan Boulevard. The tanker blew through a red light and hit a maroon SUV that was making a left hand turn.
Video of the aftermath shows the semi-truck mostly intact, facing a car that had severe damage to its driver side. Both vehicles were found atop the median.
At least one person was airlifted to a nearby hospital.
Traffic was backed up for over an hour in all directions as crews from the Collier County Sheriff's Office, Florida Highway Patrol, and North Collier Fire Rescue worked to clear the scene.
The accident began to clear by noon.
Drivers on Logan Boulevard described being stuck in traffic for over half an hour. "About 25 minutes… You know, it’s never fun to be stuck in traffic but I feel really bad for the people in the accident,” one driver said.
Another driver noted, "I’m just feeling really sad about whoever’s involved."
A nearby resident, who has lived in the area for three years, shared his concerns about the intersection and said people often ignore traffic rules at the intersection.
“There are accidents that occur here with some regularity and I’m just surprised that there aren’t a lot more,” said Charlie who showed up after the crash.
While Charlie did not witness the accident, he noted that he frequently sees people running the lights there.
“I have no idea what caused this accident but I’d almost wager that somebody involved here ran the light," he said.
The Collier County Sheriff's Office says it has recorded 11 crashes between June and September at the intersection. CCSO said none of those had involved someone running a red light.
Florida Highway Patrol says it is investigating the exact cause of this crash and will release more information.
A previous version of this article stated that the passenger side of the car was smashed in; it was, in fact, the driver's side that sustained the direct impact.
