Deltona man killed in Tesla crash on Florida's I-4
A 43-year-old man from Deltona died after his stopped Tesla Model 3 was rear-ended by a semi-truck on Interstate 4 in Seminole County. The incident occurred late Monday night near Lake Mary Boulevard, forcing a temporary closure of eastbound lanes. Florida Highway Patrol is investigating why the vehicle had stopped in traffic.
The crash took place around 9:30 p.m. on Monday in the eastbound lanes of I-4, just past the Lake Mary Boulevard exit in Lake Mary, Seminole County. According to the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), the 43-year-old Deltona man was driving a 2020 Tesla Model 3 that came to a stop in the center lane. Two semi-trucks were traveling behind the Tesla in the same lane at the time.
One semi-truck driver managed to swerve and avoid the stopped vehicle, but the second semi-truck could not and struck the Tesla from behind. The impact caused the semi-truck to veer into a guardrail and overturn. The force of the collision then pushed the Tesla off the roadway, where it hit the side of the first semi-truck that had avoided the initial crash.
The Tesla driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The drivers of both semi-trucks sustained no injuries and remained at the scene. All three individuals involved were wearing seat belts, per the FHP crash report.
Eastbound lanes of I-4 were closed following the incident but were later reopened. FHP has not determined why the Tesla stopped in the middle of the highway, and the crash remains under investigation.