SR-408 reopens nearly 8 hours after deadly crash in Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla. – A fatal two-vehicle crash early Monday prompted a more than nine-hour closure of State Road 408 in Orlando.

Although eastbound lanes reopened shortly before 10 a.m., a large backlog of vehicles continued to cause major delays on the road.

The wreck was reported on S.R. 408 east near South Crystal Lake Drive.

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According to police, a white Porsche hit a blue Chevrolet pickup truck around 1:55 a.m. Both vehicles hit a concrete barrier in the center median, investigators said.

The driver of the Porsche was taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK, police said, but the driver of the truck — John Richardson, 57 — was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The speed at the time of the collision looks to be high,” Trooper Steve Montiero said.

Debris from the crash also caused damage to a silver Dodge SUV and white Volvo semi-truck, records show.

Roy Porter was fishing at West Underhill Park Monday when he realized a large portion of state 408 was shut down.

“I hate to hear that anybody passed away but you know it just happened. Like I said, I just watched the news yesterday about how that extra hour will you throw you off one way or the other with sleep and here it is, a wreck happened this morning,” Porter said.

All eastbound traffic was diverted off S.R. 408 at the Bumby Avenue exit to East Anderson Street.

Montiero said Curry Ford Road and Colonial Drive can be used as alternate routes while the traffic remains.