Interstate 95 became chaotic on Wednesday after a man killed a woman then fled on the interstate while driving the wrong way.
CBS News reports that the suspect killed a woman in a Lake Worth, Florida, shopping center around 9:30 a.m. He then put her in his car and fled to I-95.
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Around 9:45 a.m., police were notified that a car was driving south in the northbound lanes of the interstate section located in Lantana, Florida. He apparently caused numerous close calls that could have resulted in head-on collisions.
The suspect then caused three accidents, with the third crash apparently ending his spree.
A Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the scene of the third crash and tried to subdue the subject using a Taser. The method was unsuccessful.
CBS News, who talked with Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw, says that the suspect’s movements in the vehicle “made the deputy fear for his life.” The deputy then shot and killed the suspect.
The drivers in the three accidents caused by the suspects are injured, but none of the injuries are life-threatening.
The suspect has been identified, but his name is being withheld by authorities. They have also tied the suspect to a Tuesday night shooting in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“It appears that through hard work and diligence here, and a timely response by the FHP and our deputy, we have averted this guy not only crashing into a whole bunch more cars on this side of the road, but escaping here and going on to do whatever he’s going to do, which is obviously involved in shooting people, because he did one last night and obviously the one here today,” Bradshaw said.
After the incident, I-95 was closed in both directions for the investigation. It is likely to remain closed the rest of the day, so commuters in the area should find new routes.
CBS affiliate WPEC also reports that this was the second gunshot-related incident on I-95 that day.
A officer of the Florida Highway Patrol responded to a single vehicle crash in Boca Raton, Florida, around 4:30 a.m. When he arrived, he discovered 29-year-old local Edvin Milkevic bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound.
Milkevic was taken to a nearby hospital, but we was not able to recover from his injuries and later died. There are no suspects in the shooting.
