MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A fatal crash that shut down part of Florida's Turnpike on Tuesday afternoon in southwest Miami-Dade County left a safety patrol driver dead.
Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Joe Sanchez said a State Farm safety patrol officer was killed after he was called to a crash involving a Ford Mustang and a pickup truck.
Sanchez said Andres Garcia Boligan, 47, of Miami, was attempting to stop traffic so he could move both vehicles to the same side of the highway when he was struck by a dump truck.
Troopers said the driver of the dump truck, Sergio Gonzalez, 40, of Miami, attempted to stop when his breaks locked and he swerved out of control before hitting Boligan along a metal street light pole.
Boligan was pronounced dead at the scene.
Troopers told Local 10 News investigative reporter Jeff Weinsier that the road ranger was very careful and they don't believe he stepped into traffic.
Sanchez said Boligan was wearing his work vest and had the emergency lights activated on his vehicle.
No one else was injured in the crash.
Troopers said the investigation is ongoing.
State Farm has a partnership with Florida's Turnpike, and its safety patrol drivers offer free roadway assistance to drivers on the Turnpike and the Sawgrass Expressway.
All northbound lanes were shut down on the Turnpike between Southwest 120th Street and Kendall Drive for about three hours.
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