Off-duty paramedic killed trying to help man after accident on I-95

Off-duty paramedic killed while helping I-95 crash victim

A paramedic from North Carolina, Mary Jolly, was struck and killed while trying to help a driver after a multi-car crash in Florida.

ORLANDO, Fla. - A paramedic from Gaston County, North Carolina was killed trying to help others after a series of crashes on Interstate 91 in Florida on Saturday.

The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) says two cars crashed when one of those cars was changing lanes.

Chain reaction crash

The backstory:

According to the FHP, the incident began on I-95 near Mims, just after midnight, when two vehicles collided, triggering a chain reaction that involved five vehicles and two pedestrians.

First Collision

Investigators say a 33-year-old Port St. Lucie man was driving a 2019 Chevy Impala north on I-95, traveling in the center lane. A 2024 Volkswagen was also heading north in the outside lane.

The Impala’s driver tried to move into the outside lane but entered the Volkswagen’s path, causing the front right of the Impala to hit the rear left of the Volkswagen.

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The collision pushed the Volkswagen off the road and into a ditch. The Impala then veered left, hit the concrete median, and came to rest disabled in the inside northbound lane. After the crash, the Impala’s driver got out of the vehicle.

Second Collision

Reports indicate that shortly afterward, a 2025 Hyundai Elantra and a 2019 Audi A4 approached the disabled Impala in the inside lane, where the Impala’s driver was standing next to his vehicle.

The driver of the Elantra swerved left to avoid the Impala but struck the left side of the car, then continued forward and hit the Impala’s driver. The impact threw the victim into the roadway ahead of the vehicle.

The Audi, traveling behind the Elantra, also attempted to swerve but struck the Impala’s driver as well, who had already been hit moments earlier.

Authorities said that's when paramedic Mary Jolly, of Gaston County, North Carolina, got out of her car and tried to help the man who had just been run over and wound up getting hit too.

Third Collision

Moments later, a fifth vehicle, identified as a 2010 Nissan Murano, which was traveling in the center lane approached the scene. 

Jolly, 27, was in the same lane while attempting to render aid. The driver of the Murano swerved left to avoid Jolly, who simultaneously tried to move out of the way. Despite both efforts, the Murano struck Jolly.

Casualties

The 33-year-old driver of the Chevy Impala involved in the initial crash, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Jolly was airlifted to HCA Lake Monroe Hospital in Sanford, where she died on Monday.

[Credit: Gaston County EMS]

‘She always went that extra mile’

What they're saying:

The Director of Communications for Gaston County, Adam Gaub, told FOX 35’s Marie Edinger that the manner of Jolly’s death spoke volumes to who she was as a person.

"What happened was just was awful," said Gaub. "But it's not surprising that Mary was even off-duty, seeing somebody in need and immediately jumped into help."

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Gaub says Jolly won several awards for her work as a paramedic. She joined that team in Gaston County about five years ago.

"Mary was just she was kind, she was caring, she always went that extra mile to make sure that patients knew that she was there for them."