HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A multi-car collision that shut down the westbound lanes of I-4 Thursday night led to a second crash early Friday morning, resulting in multiple injuries and one arrest.
The Florida Highway Patrol said on Feb. 15, around 10:45 p.m., a Dodge Challenger, Mini Cooper, Hyundai Kona, Ford Expedition and tractor-trailer were all stopped in traffic on I-4 heading west near Branch Forbes Road.
A Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office Chevrolet Tahoe was also traveling west to respond to a backup call with its emergency equipment activated. As it approached, the Challenger made a sudden lane change to the right, striking the HCSO Tahoe.
The impact redirected the Challenger to the left, striking the right side of the Mini Cooper.
The Challenger continued to rotate before colliding with the front right of the Kona and the back of the Expedition. It finally came to a rest facing northeast against the back of the Expedition.
During the crash, the Challenger's driver was ejected from the vehicle.
Meanwhile, the HCSO Tahoe rotated into the back of the tractor-trailer before coming to a final rest.
The Challenger's driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while the deputy's injuries were described by FHP as non-incapacitating. Both were taken to local hospitals.
The crash shut down the westbound lanes of I-4 until 2 a.m. Later, on Feb. 16, around 1:45 a.m., a Lexus ES300h was traveling west, approaching the road closure from the crash.
An FDOT road ranger Ford F-550 was parked within the closure with its emergency equipment and an arrow board activated. Road cones with electric flares were used to notify drivers of the closure, which the Lexus drove through, striking the rear of the FDOT road ranger.
FHP said the Lexus' driver, Vladislav Viktor Sushchik, 24, was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. He was later arrested by troopers for DUI and driving while license suspended from a previous DUI arrest.
The road ranger, 44, also suffered minor injuries, but he was not taken to a medical facility.
