Jessica Mahn identified as Florida woman killed driving the wrong way on Interstate
Police have now identified the Tampa woman killed while driving on the wrong side of Interstate 75 in Pasco County early Monday morning.
Jessica Rey Mahn, 25, died around 4:30 a.m., after crashing while she drove north in the southbound lanes of I-75. Near State Road 52, the woman approached a large semi-truck and, even though the driver (Slawomir Plonski) tried to avoid, collided with the truck and slammed into the guard rail.
Jessica Mahn photo/Supplied by officials
Authorities did announce that they believe the accident was alcohol-related.
“You’re looking at about five miles traveling the wrong way. Somewhere in that vicinity she either got on the wrong way there at 285 exit or she may have u-turned,” said Sgt. Steve Gaskins with FHP.
“I used the blinking lights, use the horn, too late,” Plonski said in broken English to police and reporters. “I lost my mind, started shaking, lost my mind,”
Mahn was taken to a hospital and later died.
The FHP says this is the fifth fatal wrong-way crash in the Tampa area since February.
“Our first priority is safety,” said Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Kris Carson.
Carson says state officials are looking at a pilot program to stop this. They want to install large blinking signs to warn drivers when they’re going the wrong direction.
In a completely unrelated incident, during the same weekend, a Tampa teacher was driving home drunk and also traveled miles on the Interstate in the wrong lane. Fortunately officers were able to intercept the driver. That driver was not hurt as no accident occcurred. More from Florida New Daily on those details HERE
