Dense fog causes series of crashes in Volusia

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. — Dense fog caused a series of crashes that shut down parts of I-95 in Volusia County Monday morning.

The crashes blocked both southbound and northbound lanes and caused major delays, with six accidents involving more than a dozen vehicles.

All of the accidents occurred in the same quarter mile stretch of I-95, and were all related to the fog.  After the first accident happened, drivers continued coming over the overpass, but found themselves slamming on the brakes a little too late.

Long after six crashes occurred, the dangerous fog still lingered over the closed highway.

Several cars were badly damaged, a flatbed semi truck was in a ditch, and more than a dozen drivers were caught up in the pileup.

Driver Floyd Parrish said, "It was foggy and the traffic had stopped -- his Winnebago was already at a complete stop.  Lady come from behind clipped the side of my car, and then plowed into the back of his Winnebago."

New Smyrna Beach police arrived first, and shut down northbound I-95 just before 8 a.m.

Troopers are not so much blaming the fog, but instead, the drivers that were in it.  Troopers speculate drivers were speeding over an overpass without enough visibility to see what was over the top.

"It appears they were probably traveling too fast for conditions out here with the fog,"  said FHP Lt. Robert Asbill. "When they come over the overpass, they were just traveling too fast to adjust for the traffic conditions out ahead of them.  They began to crash into each other and that's when it just kind of went everywhere here.  That's why we ended up with another five crashes here."

WFTV has learned that some of the drivers will be cited for going too fast for conditions, though troopers have not said yet how many will be ticketed.

Despite the number of reported crashes, no one was seriously injured.

WFTV