Woman driving wrong way down I-75 arrested for DUI

A woman reportedly driving the wrong way on Interstate 75 Monday afternoon was apparently the start of a multi-vehicle crashes near Lake City.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, an investigation is continuing to determine whether alcohol was a contributing factor. All southbound lanes on the freeway outside Lake City were blocked for about an hour after the 5:35 p.m. crash near mile marker 429.

Brenda C. Blalock, 53, of Jacksonville was apparently driving her 1995 Chevrolet four-door north in the southbound lanes. FHP Sgt. John L. Gourley determined that Blalock's wrong-way driving may have first contributed to a crash that she was not involved in.

Gourley concluded that a southbound Land Rover driven by David Absalon, 45, of Ontario, Canada and a semi being driven southbound by Lesley Richey, 56, of Alabama, took evasive actions to avoid colliding with Blalock's Chevrolet. The result was a collision between the Land Rover and the semi that resulted in minor damage and no injuries, according to Gourley.

Blalock's Chevrolet then collided with a southbound 1999 Ford Explorer being driven by Jose Hernandez Guerriro, 26, of Mulberry, Gourley noted in his report. Following the collision, Gourley said, the Ford and the Chevrolet side-swiped two trailers being pulled southbound by Larry Hammond, 61, and Curtis Shriver, 47, both of Lake Wales. Shriver was not injured but Guerriro received minor injuries.

Blalock, was wearing her seatbelt and her air bag deployed during the crash, Gourley reported. She was initially taken to Lake City Medical Center, then flown to Shands at the University of Florida in serious condition.

Charges are pending further investigation.