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77-year-old man killed trying to save turtle on interstate

By Meaghan Mackey

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    SEBASTIAN, Florida (WESH) — A 77-year-old man was killed after he was hit by a car while trying to rescue a turtle on Interstate 95 in Sebastian, the Florida Highway Patrol says.

According to the FHP, the crash happened just before 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the southbound lanes of I-95 just south of Micco, close to Sebastian Boulevard.

Troopers say the 77-year-old man from Vermont was walking across I-95 trying to save a turtle while a driver tried to slow down to avoid hitting the man, but lost control after being hit by another car behind them.

As a result, the driver hit the 77-year-old man before crashing into a fence off I-95.

The FHP says the 77-year-old man who was trying to save the turtle died at the scene.

Hundreds of drivers traveling south on I-95 were in standstill traffic for hours while troopers investigated and cleared the crash.

Two lanes of traffic reopened on I-95 southbound four hours after the crash at 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

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