HOLT, Fla., June 23, 2022—Westbound lanes of Interstate 10 were closed today when two accidents with injuries happened within an hour of each other.

The first accident occurred just after 5 a.m. between a tractor trailer from Milton and a Dothan dump truck at mile marker 48 in Holt.

The truck, parked in the emergency lane on the outside shoulder, attempted to merge back into traffic, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

According to the release, the tractor trailer driver failed to notice the merging truck and “collided front to rear” with it.

The crash blocked both westbound lanes of traffic.

Only minor injuries to the tractor trailer driver were reported.

As a result of the traffic standstill from the earlier crash, a second two-vehicle accident with serious injuries happened less than an hour later at mile marker 49.

According to a second FHP news release, a Toyota 4runner traveling westbound on I-10 collided with the rear of a GMC Sierra pickup truck from Dothan around 6 a.m. near mile marker 49 in Holt.

The accident was attributed to a traffic standstill due to another collision located near mile marker 48.

The male SUV driver from Pace suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The accident resulted in approximately 25 gallons of spilled diesel which required environmental cleanup of the interstate.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Crestview Police Department rerouted westbound traffic off I-10 at exit 56 to Ferdon Boulevard to U.S. Highway 90 west. Westbound traffic then merged back onto the interstate at Holt.

All westbound lanes were reopened at 8:22 a.m.