JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A wrong-way crash early Sunday on Interstate 95 at Pecan Park Road claimed the lives of a toddler and a 25-year-old Jacksonville woman, while three other children were severely injured, according to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). The crash forced the closure of all northbound lanes for several hours, with traffic diverted onto Pecan Park Road and Main Street.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
FHP reported that at around 2:20 a.m., the woman drove her SUV southbound in the northbound lanes of I-95 near Pecan Park Road, reportedly colliding head-on with a sedan driven by a 42-year-old Jacksonville man. The SUV was carrying four young children at the time of the crash.
The collision resulted in the death of a 3-year-old girl and the driver of the SUV. A 5-year-old girl and a 2-year-old girl sustained critical injuries, while a 1-year-old boy was seriously injured. None of the SUV’s occupants, including the children, were wearing seatbelts or restrained in child safety seats, according to the FHP report.
The driver of the sedan, who was wearing a seatbelt, was seriously injured but survived the crash.
FHP homicide investigators are handling the investigation, and the next of kin for the victims have been notified. The names of the victims have not yet been released.
All northbound lanes of I-95 at Pecan Park Road reopened around 8:35 a.m. after the investigation and cleanup. Action News Jax is actively gathering more details as the situation unfolds.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.