Stranded driver killed when he is ‘propelled’ off bridge into river, FL cops say

A stranded driver died under unusual circumstances when he was “propelled” off a bridge by another vehicle, according to investigators in Florida.

It happened around 5:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 24, during a series of crashes on Interstate 75 as it crosses the Alafia River, the Florida Highway Patrol reported in a news release.

The deceased driver’s identity and his cause of death have not been released.

“A Honda Civic, driven by a 35-year-old Spring Hill man, was traveling southbound on I-75 and was involved in a single vehicle crash near the 250 Milepost at the Alafia River,” the highway patrol said.

“A Chevy Traverse, driven by a 41-year-old Brandon woman, was traveling southbound on I-75 and collided with (the Civic), as well as its driver who was propelled off of the bridge and into the river.”

The Traverse then collided with two other vehicles that were stopped for another crash in the same area, officials said.

Investigators say the woman driving the Traverse suffered minor injuries, but the drivers of the other two vehicles were not hurt, officials said.

The cause of the crashes remain under investigation.

The four-lanes of southbound traffic on the Interstate 75 bridge stand about 55 feet over the Alafia River, according to Waterwayguide.com. The bridge, which carries more than 81,000 vehicles a day, is about a 10-mile drive southeast from downtown Tampa.

This story was originally published August 25, 2025 at 7:46 AM with the headline "Stranded driver killed when he is ‘propelled’ off bridge into river, FL cops say."