A 20-year-old Florida woman was killed in a horrific chain-reaction crash on Interstate 95 after another driver struck an alligator in the roadway, authorities said.

The deadly collision happened late Sunday night, Aug. 30, near mile marker 214 in Titusville, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The victim was identified by her family as Cassi Taylor, 20, of Palm Bay. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

It Started With an Alligator in the Road
According to investigators, a 58-year-old man from Canada was driving a Mercedes-Benz southbound on I-95 at around 11:52 p.m. when he suddenly encountered an alligator in the middle of the highway.

The driver attempted to avoid the animal but was unable to do so.

The Mercedes struck the alligator, causing significant damage and leaving the vehicle disabled in the roadway.

Taylor was driving a 2004 Toyota Tacoma behind the Mercedes.

When she approached the crash, investigators said she swerved in an attempt to avoid the disabled vehicle.

The maneuver caused her pickup truck to lose control.

The truck overturned, throwing Taylor from the vehicle and into the center lane of the interstate.

Then Another Vehicle Hit Her
The tragedy took another devastating turn.

After Taylor was ejected from her truck, an unidentified third vehicle traveling southbound struck her.

The driver did not stop and fled the scene.

Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the Mercedes remained at the crash site and was not injured.

Florida Highway Patrol investigators are now searching for information that could help identify the vehicle and driver who left the scene.

Authorities are treating the case as a hit-and-run investigation involving a fatality.

A Young Life Cut Short
Taylor’s family confirmed her identity following the crash.

A fundraiser established on behalf of the family describes the 20-year-old as a young woman with a “heart of gold” who will be deeply missed by those who knew her.

Her death has left her loved ones facing the devastating reality that a seemingly ordinary drive ended in a chain of events no one could have predicted.

An alligator wandering onto a busy interstate.

A driver trying to avoid it.

A second vehicle attempting to avoid the resulting wreck.

And finally, a driver who allegedly struck a young woman lying in the roadway and continued driving.

The Florida Highway Patrol is urging anyone who witnessed the crash or has information about the unidentified vehicle to come forward.

For Taylor’s family, however, the investigation is about more than identifying a driver.

It is about getting answers for a 20-year-old whose life ended in a matter of seconds on a Florida highway.

Course: NY Post