One killed in crash on east Manatee County road, FHP says

One person is dead after a crash on State Road 62 in east Manatee County, according to Florida Highway Patrol.

The accident happened east of County Road 39 at about 10:22 a.m. on Wednesday.

Troopers say a driver in a 2005 Dodge 2500 truck was traveling east on S.R. 62. The driver then pulled onto the south grass shoulder of the roadway and attempted to u-turn across the eastbound lane in order to travel west.

The driver entered the direct path of a tractor-trailer.

The driver of the tractor-trailer driver applied his brakes and traveled into the westbound lane of S.R. 62 in an attempt to avoid a collision.

However, the driver of the Dodge continued to perform a u-turn, and the the left front of the Dodge collided with the right front of the tractor-trailer.

The Dodge then rotated clockwise, hit the front tires of the tractor trailer and overturned on its left side.

The driver, who has not been identified, died as a result of the accident.

The tractor-trailer came to a final stop in a ditch on the north side of S.R. 62 with the trailer twisted and partially overturned.

The driver of the tractor-trailer, a 53-year-old man from Pembroke Pines, suffered minor injuries and was transported to a local hospital for care.

State Road 62 remained closed in both directions for several hours as troopers investigated the crash. Traffic was diverted onto County Road 39, according to FHP.

This story was originally published May 8, 2019 at 12:40 PM.