Medical Emergency Leads to Fatal Crash on I-275 Exit Ramp to I-4, FHP Says

Heavily damaged pickup lodged against the barrier / FHP

By Ciara Perez
iSkyNews.com (ISN) – Published February 24, 2026

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A fatal crash during the morning commute on Tuesday has been linked to a medical emergency that caused a driver to lose control along a major interstate interchange, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred around 7:45 a.m. on February 24, 2026, on the northbound I-275 exit ramp leading to eastbound I-4 in Hillsborough County.

FHP investigators say Vehicle 1, a Chevy pickup driven by a 65-year-old Clearwater man, was traveling northbound on the ramp behind Vehicle 2, a Mazda SUV driven by a 21-year-old Thonotosassa woman. Troopers determined the pickup driver suffered a medical emergency, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.

The pickup rear-ended the Mazda SUV, then continued forward, striking a guardrail multiple times before becoming wedged between two concrete traffic barriers along the ramp.

The Clearwater man was transported to a nearby hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. The driver of the Mazda SUV was able to bring her vehicle to a controlled stop and reported no injuries.

Photos courtesy of Florida Highway Patrol (FHP)

iSkyNews.com obtained photos from the scene showing the heavily damaged pickup lodged against the barrier as troopers and road crews worked to secure the area. Traffic was significantly impacted along the busy interchange while the crash scene was processed.

The crash remains under investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol.

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