PALMETTO BAY, FL — A pickup truck driver was killed early Saturday after a violent collision with a flatbed semi in Palmetto Bay, and surveillance video captured the moments before the crash. Florida Highway Patrol said a Dodge Ram slammed into the flatbed at the intersection of U.S. 1 and Southwest 184th Street.
The impact caused a small fire inside the pickup, according to officials. The man behind the wheel of the Dodge Ram died at the scene. Authorities have not released his identity.
The driver of the flatbed was not injured. For several hours, officials shut down U.S. 1 between Southwest 183rd Street and 186th Street while they worked the crash scene.
Surveillance footage captured the moments before the impact
NBC 6 South Florida reported that surveillance video showed the pickup striking the flatbed in the early-morning crash. The footage provided a stark look at how quickly the collision unfolded at a busy roadway intersection.
The exact sequence of events leading up to the impact has not been detailed publicly, but the video made clear that the crash was severe enough to trigger fire inside the truck. The collision happened before sunrise on Saturday, a time when traffic is often lighter but visibility can still be limited.
Florida Highway Patrol has not said whether speed, distraction or another factor played a role. Officials also have not announced any charges or citations tied to the wreck.
U.S. 1 closed for hours after the fatal wreck
The crash forced a prolonged shutdown on a stretch of U.S. 1 in southern Miami-Dade County. Traffic was blocked between Southwest 183rd Street and 186th Street as investigators and emergency crews responded to the scene.
That closure affected one of the area’s main north-south corridors, adding to the disruption for drivers in and around Palmetto Bay. The roadway reopened after officials completed their work, but authorities did not immediately provide a timeline for how long the closure lasted.
Florida Highway Patrol is handling the investigation. It has only confirmed the basic facts of the crash so far, including that one person died and the semi driver was unharmed.
What officials have confirmed so far about the driver and the truck
The man killed in the crash was driving a Dodge Ram, according to Florida Highway Patrol. The agency has not released any additional information about him, including his age or hometown.
Investigators also said the flatbed semi driver was not hurt. No other injuries were reported, and officials have not said whether passengers were inside either vehicle.
For now, the public record is limited to the location, the fatal outcome and the video showing the crash. More details may come from the ongoing investigation, but authorities have not announced when that information could be made public.
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