Man dead after five-vehicle collision in Brevard County, troopers say

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Merritt Island man is dead after being involved in a five-vehicle collision late Saturday night, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Around 9 p.m., a sedan was traveling southbound on I-95 in the inside lane, a crash report stated. The driver failed to stay in the lane before running off the roadway and striking the center median guardrail, troopers said. During this initial collision, the vehicle rotated and came to a final resting point while blocking the southbound lanes of I-95, according to FHP.

Four more vehicles, including an SUV, muscle car, and two motorcycles, were involved in the collision as lanes were blocked by the sedan, according to troopers. The SUV collided with the sedan's rear after being unable to avoid the collision ahead, FHP said. One of the motorcyclists, unable to evade the crash, struck the sedan and was thrown from the motorcycle, landing on the paved shoulder, according to the crash report. The second motorcyclist parked on the inside paved shoulder before getting off the bike, troopers said.

Another vehicle, the muscle car, was traveling southbound on the inside lane prior to swerving to avoid the blocked lanes, troopers said. It still collided with the sedan prior to running off the roadway and striking the motorcyclist who was still lying on the shoulder, according to the crash report. The car then collided with the median guardrail before hitting the SUV and the second motorcycle parked ahead, FHP said.

The motorcyclist who was thrown from his bike, a 46-year-old man, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to troopers. Only two drivers and two passengers from two of the other vehicles experienced minor injuries, a crash report stated.

This crash remains under investigation.