NORTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A wrong-way crash on the Florida Turnpike near the Hard Rock Stadium caused emergency responders to close down the roads in order to airlift a driver to the hospital.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, on Friday morning, a white Chevy Camaro was traveling north on the southbound lanes of the highway when it collided with a silver Toyota pickup truck near the Southwest 199th Street exit.
Live video footage showed the damage to the cars involved. The Chevy was completely demolished, while the truck appeared to have stopped right in front of a concrete barrier.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue officials said the driver of the Chevy was pinned inside.
“Upon arrival, we found one patient heavily entrapped,” said MDFR Battalion Chief Shaun Smiley.
According to radio chatter, it took crews about 30 minutes to extricate the driver because he was being combative.
After he was removed, the man was airlifted to Ryder Trauma Center with serious injuries.
Michael Calix, the driver of the truck, suffered minor injuries. He shared what happened when he saw the white car’s lights on the road.
“For some reason, I just saw a light coming toward me, and I pulled on the right,” said Calix. “When I pulled on the right, the person pulled on the right. When I pulled back on the left, the person pulled on the left and [he hit me] head-on. I’m just happy to be alive.”
As a result of this incident, both northbound and southbound lanes were closed off for several hours so authorities could land a rescue helicopter. The highway has since reopened.
As for Calix, he said he’s just grateful to have only walked away with a few bruises.
“At the time the accident happened, in fact, while it was happening, I said to myself, ‘Well, that’s it,’ because I realized that I was going to die, but I’m alive and well,” he said.
The crash remains under investigation.
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