I-75 Dash Cam Video Released

By: Whitney Ray Email

Posted: Wed 6:41 PM, May 02, 2012

Tallahassee, FL -- May 2, 2012 --

You can see the flames and hear the frustration.

“I tried to tell them leave that son of a buck closed and they wouldn’t listen to me.”

This dash camera video recorded from a Florida Highway Patrol cruiser tells the story of a deadly “I told you so.”

“yeah it’s three cars and a semi.”

In the early morning hours of January 29th, a pileup on I-75 near Gainesville killed 11 people. At midnight before the crash, the interstate was closed… because fog and smoke from a nearby wildfire made it nearly impossible to see. But conditions were improving and at 3:30 am troopers reopen I-75.

“I said it’s going to roll in again, leave it closed.”

That’s the voice of FHP Sergeant Bruce Simmons. He raised concerns before the road was reopened.

“I told the trooper 30, 45 mins you watch.”

Simmons predictions were spot on.

According to this report from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the pileup began a half hour after I-75 was reopened. The report also says at the time of the wreck visibility had dropped to just three feet.

The report suggests, two days after the accident FHP tired to cover-up the objections to reopening the road.

“I tried to tell them to leave that son of a buck closed. They wouldn’t listen to me.”

But this recording makes it clear the sergeant was not happy with the decision.

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