Head-on crash on U.S. 1 leaves Philadelphia driver dead
The driver of a van was killed on U.S. 1 on Sunday night in the Lower Keys after he veered into oncoming traffic and struck a semi tractor-trailer head-on, police said.
The Florida Highway Patrol identified the dead driver as George Charles Duve, 32, of Philadelphia.
Duve died at the scene, which was mile marker 29.5 on Big Pine Key.
FHP is investigating whether alcohol was a factor, according to the crash report.
At 7:16 p.m. Sunday, Duve was driving a 2000 Ford van south on U.S. 1 when he “left his designated lane” and crossed into the northbound lane and the path of the truck, the crash report stated.
Steven Leigh Hunter, 56, of Key West, was driving the truck. He was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center with minor injuries by his family, his daughter said.
The crash shut down the highway completely, and then traffic was diverted onto the northbound shoulder of the road.
The highway was reopened at 12:30 a.m. Monday.
An earlier version of this story said Hunter was airlifted to a Miami hospital, as reported by the Florida Highway Patrol. He was taken to the Lower Keys Medical Center on Stock Island.
This story was originally published November 25, 2019 at 9:51 AM.
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