HOLT, Fla., May 25, 2024—A westbound driver in the eastbound lane crashed head-on with another driver on Interstate 10 last night in Holt causing a multi-vehicle accident and injuring three people.

One person who was critically injured was life-flighted to a local hospital, one was transported by ambulance with minor injuries and a third, also with minor injuries, was treated and released at the scene, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

Around 10:30 p.m., a 45-year-old man from Pensacola driving a midsize Kia SUV entered I-10 at Holt’s exit 45 heading westbound in the eastbound lane.

Around mile marker 43, the Kia met a Dodge Charger driven by a 21-year-old man from Beaumont, Texas, who was traveling in the inside lane. The impact knocked the Charger into the tree line in the center median.

After hitting the Charger, the Kia rotated clockwise and collided with a Ford F-150 driven by a 65-year-old Crestview man traveling eastbound in the outside lane.

Both the truck and SUV came to a rest in the outside and right emergency lanes.

The KIA driver was airlifted, the Charger driver was transported by ambulance and the truck driver was released after being treated for minor injuries.

Debris from the accident was spread across both lanes of traffic which were shut down for about an hour and a half. Eastbound traffic was diverted off the interstate at exit 31 in Santa Rosa County to U.S. 90 then back to interstate exit 45 in Holt.

A number of agencies responded to the accident including Holt Fire District, Harold Fire District, Okaloosa County EMS, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Okaloosa MedFlight, Santa Rosa Lifeguard Ambulance Service and Florida Highway Patrol.

The investigation is ongoing, according to the release.