19-Year-Old Orlando Driver Charged With DUI After Wrong-Way I-75 Crash in Alachua County

A 19-year-old Orlando driver is facing multiple charges after a wrong-way crash early Monday morning on Interstate 75 in Alachua County.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, troopers had received reports of a wrong-way driver traveling on I-75 North before the collision. A BOLO was issued for a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta.

Troopers later located the vehicle after it collided with a 2018 Dodge Ram shortly before 2:30 a.m. near State Road 26.

No injuries were reported.

FHP identified the Jetta driver as Gabriel Alexander Markaj. Troopers said he later provided two breath samples that registered .190 and .176.

He was charged with driving on the wrong side of a divided highway, DUI with an alcohol level of .150 or higher, unauthorized use or possession of an altered driver’s license or identification card, and DUI involving property damage or personal injury.

What Happened in the I-75 Wrong-Way Crash?

According to FHP, the Dodge Ram was traveling north in the center lane of I-75 when the wrong-way Volkswagen approached.

Troopers said dash camera footage from the pickup showed the Jetta traveling south in the northbound lanes and weaving across multiple lanes.

The Dodge driver attempted to avoid the wrong-way vehicle by swerving.

Despite that evasive maneuver, the front right of the Volkswagen struck the right rear of the Dodge Ram, according to troopers.

The impact caused the pickup to spin across the State Road 26 off-ramp before it came to rest partially blocking the roadway.

No one was injured in the collision.

Dash Camera Footage Captured the Wrong-Way Vehicle

One of the most significant pieces of evidence in the case appears to be dash camera footage from the Dodge Ram.

FHP said the video showed the Volkswagen traveling south in the northbound lanes and moving across multiple lanes before the crash.

Dash camera footage can be especially important in wrong-way crashes because it may show:

• The direction each vehicle was traveling
• Lane positions
• Vehicle movements immediately before impact
• Whether a driver attempted to avoid the crash
• Traffic and roadway conditions
• The timing of the collision

In this case, troopers said the footage showed the pickup driver swerving in an effort to avoid the approaching Jetta.

Florida Law Prohibits Driving the Wrong Way on a Divided Highway

Markaj was charged under Fla. Stat. § 316.090(1), which governs travel on divided highways.

Florida law generally requires vehicles on divided roadways to remain on the correct side of the physical barrier or dividing space.

Wrong-way driving can create an extreme risk of head-on or high-speed collisions because motorists traveling lawfully may have very little time to react.

Here, FHP reported that the Dodge driver attempted to avoid the Volkswagen before the vehicles still made contact.

DUI Charges Filed After Breath Testing

Troopers said Markaj provided two breath samples after the crash.

The reported results were .190 and .176.

He was charged under Fla. Stat. § 316.193 with DUI involving an alcohol level of .150 or higher, as well as DUI involving property damage or personal injury.

The fact that charges have been filed does not eliminate the state’s burden to prove those allegations in court.

A criminal DUI case may involve issues such as the legality of the stop or detention, breath-testing procedures, calibration records, officer observations and other evidence.

Criminal Charges and Civil Liability Are Separate Issues

The criminal case against the driver is separate from any potential civil claim arising from the crash.

A DUI arrest or charge does not automatically establish civil liability, although evidence of impairment can become highly relevant in a negligence case.

Likewise, a civil claim may be possible even if criminal charges are reduced or dismissed, because the standards and purposes of the two proceedings are different.

The criminal case focuses on whether the state can prove the charged offenses beyond a reasonable doubt.

A civil claim focuses on whether negligence caused legally compensable harm.

The Pickup Driver’s Evasive Action Could Be Important

FHP reported that the Dodge driver swerved to avoid the wrong-way Volkswagen before the vehicles collided.

That fact could become important if any dispute later arises regarding fault.

When a driver is suddenly confronted with a vehicle traveling the wrong way, investigators may examine whether the driver reacted reasonably under the circumstances.

The dash camera footage may help establish how much time the Dodge driver had to respond and whether there was any realistic opportunity to avoid the collision entirely.

Property Damage Claims May Still Arise Even Without Injuries

No injuries were reported, but both vehicles were involved in a collision significant enough to send the pickup spinning across an interstate off-ramp.

Even when no one is physically injured, a crash can still result in property damage claims.

Potential recoverable losses may include:

• Vehicle repair costs
• Total-loss value
• Towing and storage fees
• Rental vehicle expenses
• Other documented out-of-pocket losses

The availability and value of any claim depend on the applicable insurance coverage and the facts of the crash.

Florida’s Comparative Fault Law

Florida Statute § 768.81 may apply when more than one person’s conduct contributes to a collision.

Based on the preliminary FHP account, the Volkswagen was allegedly traveling the wrong way while the Dodge driver attempted to avoid it.

However, any final civil determination would depend on the full evidence.

Dash camera footage, crash-scene evidence, vehicle damage and law enforcement findings could all be relevant.

Evidence in the Alachua County Crash

Potentially important evidence may include:

• Dash camera footage from the Dodge Ram
• FHP reports and crash reconstruction
• Breath-test results
• Body camera footage
• 911 calls reporting the wrong-way vehicle
• BOLO records
• Vehicle damage
• Event data recorder information
• Roadway surveillance footage
• Witness statements
• Tire marks and debris
• Toxicology evidence, if any additional testing was performed

Because the wrong-way vehicle had reportedly been called in before the crash, dispatch and law enforcement records may also help establish the timeline.

Wrong-Way Crashes Can Have Catastrophic Consequences

Although no one was injured in this collision, wrong-way crashes frequently present a serious risk because they can result in direct, high-speed impacts.

The danger is particularly severe on interstates, where vehicles may be traveling at highway speeds and drivers often have only seconds to react.

In this case, the pickup driver was reportedly able to take evasive action, and the collision involved the rear portion of the truck rather than a direct head-on impact.

That distinction may have helped prevent more serious consequences.

FHP Continues to Investigate the I