Crash closes lanes, spills trees on Interstate 75 during rush hour

A crash that caused fruit trees to spill across Interstate 75 closed the highway for hours during Tuesday morning rush hour.

A semi tractor trailer and a truck were both going south on I-75 in the outside lane near mile marker 272 near Bruce B. Downs Boulevard in Hillsborough County around 6 a.m. Tuesday, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The truck, driven by a 59-year-old Tavares man, was traveling behind the semi when it struck the back of the semi’s trailer, according to FHP. In the impact, fruit trees spilled across the interstate and the semi went into the outside grass shoulder.

The driver of the semi, a 46-year-old Georgia man, and his passenger, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, did not report any injuries in the crash, according to the crash report.

The truck that struck the semi went into the grass median of the highway. The driver reported minor injuries.

A 2005 Toyota Camry driven by a 25-year-old Lutz woman hit the debris in the road and stopped along the shoulder. She was not injured.

The driver of the truck was cited for careless driving.

Southbound lanes of I-75 were shut down until about 9:30 a.m. due to the crash, according to FHP.