US 301 was shut down for several hours near McIntosh Road while Florida Highway Patrol Troopers investigate a crash that killed two people on Monday morning.
According to a press release, the crash involved four vehicles and a pedestrian. It happened just after 2:50 a.m.
Troopers said a 32-year-old woman from Tampa was driving an SUV northbound on 301 when she crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and hit another vehicle nearly head-on. The second vehicle, a pickup truck that was traveling southbound, rotated to a final rest along the shoulder of the highway and caught fire.
The SUV rotated to a final rest in the roadway.
Minutes later, troopers said a tractor-trailer that was traveling northbound crashed into the SUV and a pedestrian in the area who stopped to help those involved in the initial crash.
The tractor-trailer then sideswiped a fourth vehicle, a pickup, that was traveling southbound. That truck came to a controlled stop following the impact.
The 32-year-old woman in the SUV died at the scene. The male driver and female passenger in the second vehicle suffered serious injuries; FHP said their ages aren't known at this time. They were airlifted to an area hospital.
The pedestrian who stopped to help, a 53-year-old man from Pennsylvania, was also airlifted to an area hospital where he died from his injuries.
Troopers said the 69-year-old man driving the tractor-trailer suffered minor injuries, while the 62-year-old man driving the fourth vehicle involved was not injured.
The release from FHP said it's unknown at this time if the occupants in the first two vehicles were wearing seatbelts. The other drivers involved were.
US 301 reopened at 9:30 a.m.
