Three killed in 7-vehicle pileup in Sarasota that shut down I-75 for hours, FHP says
A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 75 in Sarasota left three people dead and another person critically injured, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
The crash was reported at 7:10 a.m. Monday and occurred just north of the Fruitville Road interchange. The northbound right and center lanes of the interstate were shut down and traffic was delayed for hours. The lanes were reopened as of around 4 p.m. Monday.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain under investigation, but two of the vehicles involved were legally parked on a paved shoulder of the interstate, troopers say. The drivers were outside of their parked trucks changing a flat tire when they were hit by a motorist in a Dodge Dakota, according to FHP.
One of the pedestrians, 56-year-old Jose Leal of Cape Coral, was killed. The other, a 53-year-old man from Cape Coral, was critically injured and transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for care.
The driver of the Dodge Dakota, 34-year-old Joseph Pontillo of Sarasota, died as a result of the collision.
Also killed was Joseph S. Lydic, a 50-year-old Sarasota man who was driving a cement truck when he became involved in the crash.
Three other passenger vehicles traveling northbound I-75 were also involved.
A 55-year-old Venice woman who was driving a Ford Mustang was seriously injured and transported to Sarasota Memorial Hospital for care. A 57-year-old Sarasota woman in a Toyota Corolla sustained only minor injuries, and a 21-year-old Charlotte man in a Chevrolet Silverado was uninjured.
Anyone with information about the crash are asked to contact the Florida Highway Patrol at 239-938-1800 or on a cell phone at *347.
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 9:00 AM.
