CORAL GABLES, FLA. (WSVN) - An investigation is underway after a head-on collision in Coral Gables sent two drivers to the hospital, Monday morning.
According to officials, around 6 a.m., they received a 911 call of a crash along the southbound lanes of U.S. 1, between Ponce De Leon and Douglas Road.
“It sounded like the Metro Rail fell down,” said Lily, who heard the crash.
According to Coral Gables Police, it was a head-on collision. “When officers arrived, they found what appeared to be a head-on collision,” said Coral Gables Police Officer Kelly Denham, “with each vehicle being occupied by a driver, both times.”
Police said the crash involved a silver Toyota SUV and a black, two-door Infinity sedan.
According to police, the driver of the sedan was critically injured in the crash and had to be extricated from her vehicle. She was transported to Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital in critical condition.
The driver of the SUV was also transported to Ryder Trauma Center. However, this person is in stable condition.
Now, detectives are working to determine the cause of the head-on crash.
“Detectives from the Traffic Crash Investigation Unit are investigating to see if, in fact, one of the drivers was driving the wrong way on U.S. 1,” said Denham. “We did not receive any 911 calls of a vehicle driving the wrong way. So, we don’t know if it was a short amount of time before the collision occurred.”
Crews spent the hours following the crash cleaning up the debris and leaked liquids that blocked the roadway.
“When the vehicles collided, due to the head-on nature of this collision, there were fluids that got spilled out all over the roadways,” said Denham, “so, they had to administer foam just to make sure there was no fire hazard.”
U.S. 1 was shutdown both north and southbound between Ponce De Leon and Douglas Road. However, the northbound lanes reopened shortly after.
All lanes have since reopened in both directions.
The investigation is ongoing.
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