Passenger Grabbed Wheel, Crashed Vehicle, Ran Into Traffic: FHP

PALM BEACH COUNTY, FL — A 57-year-old man in the passenger seat of a car traveling south on the Florida Turnpike tried to take his own life Sunday morning by grabbing the steering wheel and running into traffic after the vehicle overturned, according to a Florida Highway Patrol news release.

His wife was driving the vehicle around 9:15 a.m. when her husband, who hasn't been identified, grabbed the wheel and jerked it to the right, FHP said. Their 23-year-old and 15-year-old daughters were also in the vehicle.

After he jerked the wheel, the vehicle left the road, entered the grass shoulder and overturned, the agency said.

The man got out of the crashed vehicle and ran into southbound traffic, according to FHP. He was hit by a semi-trailer truck.

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to the scene and brought the man, who is in critical condition and faces life-threatening injuries, to Saint Mary's Trauma Center.

His wife and daughters suffered minor injuries in the crash. The truck driver was uninjured.

If you or someone you know is considering harming themselves, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can be reached by calling 988. Immediate help is also available in an emergency by dialing 911. Additional mental health and suicide prevention resources are available online.