FHP Traffic Homicide Investigator, Corporal Greg Cohn, is attempting to determine if alcohol was a factor in a single-vehicle crash at about 11:05 p.m. last night that left one passenger dead and sent the driver of the vehicle to Orange Park Medical Center with serious injuries.
22-year-old Eric Hofler, who resides at 3016 Blue Heron Drive North in Jacksonville, was traveling south in the left-hand lane of I-95 when the left-rear tire of the 1997 Dodge Ram 1500 he was driving blew out, causing him to lose control of the vehicle.
According to Lieutenant Justin Asbury, the truck, driver and four other occupants veered off the west shoulder of the roadway, struck several trees, and then overturned near mile-marker 311, west of St Augustine.
22-year-old Joshua Lee Green of 1862 Nolan Road in Middleburg was riding in the bed of the truck at the time of the incident and was ejected into tree line. Emergency medical personnel reported that Green died at the scene.
The remaining occupants of the truck were checked for minor injuries at the scene and released; including 23-year-old Garrett W. Thomas of 8069 Parental Circle, Jacksonville; 20-year-old Amanda Lee Gross of 5313 Carder Street, Jacksonville and 24-year-old John W. Carey of 8069 Parental Circle in Jacksonville.