One person was killed Thursday after a construction excavator being hauled by a semi traveling south on Interstate 95 flew off its trailer and into oncoming northbound traffic, striking another semi, troopers said.

  • 1 person is dead in the crash on I-95, per troopers
  • Northbound lanes of I-95 closed for much of the day

The northbound lanes of I-95 in Brevard County were closed for much of the day, re-opening early in the evening.

The crash happened at about 9:30 a.m. near mile marker 177 in Palm Bay. A tractor-trailer hauling an excavator (road construction equipment) on a trailer was southbound on I-95 when it experienced a tire tread separation, said Florida Highway Patrol Sgt. Kim Montes.

The truck driver, identified as Douglas Platt, 48, of Melbourne, lost control of the semi when a tire blew out. The semi traveled through the median guardrail.

The excavator came off the trailer and traveled into the northbound lanes of I-95, striking a truck that was northbound.

The driver of that truck, 59-year-old William Lisle from Ormond Beach, was killed.

Platt is currently in an area hospital for a significant hip and leg injury.

“He has a fractured femur up in his thigh. He is in surgery right now. He is devastated. This whole mess has him very sad,” his daughter, Charlotte Platt, explained.

Two other vehicles that were traveling northbound were struck with debris, said Montes. Neither driver was injured.

Earlier reports of six people transported were incorrect, Montes said.

Florida Highway Patrol says due to crash debris and diesel fuel on the ground, this will be an expensive clean up.

“We’re looking at guardrail in the neighborhood of 200 or 300 feet. We’re looking at asphalt, we’re looking at man hours,” Channing Taylor with the Florida Highway Patrol said. “We got two tractor trailers that are completely destroyed. We’re looking at a significant amount of money here.”