One person has died in an accident involving a semi-truck on Interstate 75 near Ellenton.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a semi truck was heading north on I-75 when the driver failed to see that traffic had stopped ahead of him.
The truck slammed into the rear of a 2005 Ford van, causing it to spin and slam into the concrete barrier wall on the west shoulder, the FHP said.
The semi then hit the rear of a 1998 Lincoln Navigator and side-swiped a 2014 Ford Fusion, both of which were stopped on the east shoulder.
The semi hit a 2003 Ford Windstar and a 2008 Toyota Highlander before finally coming to rest.
The Lincoln Navigator burst into flames, killing the driver, who has not yet been identified, investigators said.
The driver of the semi truck and a passenger in the Ford van both sustained serious injuries in the crash.
The northbound lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours as a result of the crash.